Young in Love
by amandamendes01
Summary: What if Christian and Ana met in high school? What if Elena Lincoln never got her claws in Christian? What if Ana was able to help him with his issues and fear of touch? In my story, Ana is not shy or naïve, she's confident and outgoing. Christian is a shy, angry, and anti-social. How will Ana break him out of his shell, and how will she help him start GEH? OOC Ana, HEA
1. The First Day

**Chapter 1 - The First Day**

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Great, another school year, another school. I was expelled from three private schools over the years for fighting. My mother said if I get expelled from another school, I'll be shipped off to military school, non-negotiable. It seems that with my abysmal record, even my parents couldn't buy my way into another private school in Bellevue, so I'm attending Seattle College Prep for my junior year.

My parents tried to do everything in their power to stop me from getting into fights at school. All the school counselors said that I have major anger issues, so my parents forced me to see a therapist, which hasn't helped at all.

I think I visited at least five different therapists, and I never felt comfortable with any of them. All they wanted me to do was talk about my past, but fuck if I'm ever going to let anyone know my darkest secrets. I don't need their pity for my shitty start to life.

Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever told anyone about my nightmare of a past as a child with my drugged-out prostitute of a mother and her pimp who abused me and used me as his ashtray. And I fully intend for it to stay that way, too.

I honestly can't tell you why I get into all these petty fights. I'm just so angry – angry with my life, angry with myself. I feel undeserving of this amazing family I was given.

I was adopted at age four by Carrick Grey and Grace Trevelyan-Grey – a prominent couple in Seattle society. My mother, Dr. Grace Trevelyan-Grey, is the Head of Surgery at the world-renowned hospital, Seattle Grace. My father, Carrick Grey, owns and runs the best law firm on the west coast.

My older brother Elliot attends college at Yale. He's no doubt the golden child in my parent's eyes. He always had perfect grades and was the star quarterback of his high school football team. He was the living, breathing cliché of every teen romance movie.

My little sister Mia is just the best, though. She has a special quality about her – everyone she meets instantly falls in love with her. It must have something to do with her outgoing and bubbly personality.

And then there's me. A failure. The disappointment of the family. I can't control my anger. I drink too much. I start fist fights. The only thing my parents can be proud of is the fact that I have decent grades: A's across the board.

But school is utterly useless for me. Thoughts in my head move a million miles an hour, and hearing teachers drone on about history and math holds no interest for me. I can ace their class without ever paying attention. It comes naturally to me.

Anyways, back to my family. We were all adopted, but somehow, I'm the only one who's fucked up in the head. None of my siblings seem to have to deal with any of the shit that goes on in my brain. It's probably because they were fortunate to be adopted before they could remember anything.

Both Mia and Elliot were adopted as babies. They had teenage mothers who wanted a better life for their child than they could have provided. I, on the other hand, was 4, and burned into my brain are the memories of the pimp beating me, burning me with his cigarettes. But the worst memory of all... Holding my mother's hand while she was stone cold and dead, begging, pleading for her to wake up,

My birth mother overdosed on drugs, probably cocaine or heroin. I sat next to my dead mother for what seemed like days. When the pimp finally came to our apartment, he at least had the decency to call the police.

I will always be eternally grateful for my angel, Grace Grey. When the EMT brought me to the hospital to be examined, Grace was the one who found me. And she saved me. And now look how I turned out. A fucking failure to my parents. This just proves how unworthy I am. I don't deserve to be a part of this family. I don't deserve my angel of a mother. Grace truly saved my life, and I repay her by fighting and getting expelled from school.

Damn, I need to turn myself around, don't I? New year. New me. Right? Hopefully, no one at this school will have heard about my past. I need to change. And change fast. If not for my sake, then for my family's sake. No more drinking. No more fights. I can do this.

All these thoughts swirling through my head are interrupted by my alarm. It's 7:00 AM on the dot. Why have I already been awake for 3 hours spewing out thoughts about my life? It's a simple answer. I'm terrified of sleep. Sleep only brings nightmares, vivid ones about the pimp beating me, burning me with his cigarettes. Those memories leave me frozen in place in bed, and I let my alarm keep sounding off.

"Christian dear, are you awake?" my mother's voice snaps me out of my trance as she knocks on my door.

I turn off the alarm and reply, "Yes mother; I'm awake. You can come in."

She opens the door and greets me with a warm smile. "Good morning darling. I have breakfast ready for you downstairs. School starts at 8, so you should probably leave by 7:30 to be safe. You don't want to be late on your first day. Seattle Prep is a farther drive than your previous schools in Bellevue. I know you just got your driver's license. Are you sure you don't want me to drive you?"

I give her the best smile I can muster and say, "Good morning mother. I think I'll be fine to drive myself. I'll be down for breakfast in a few minutes."

"Oh, I almost forgot," my mother starts, "I had your uniform pressed; it's hanging in the closet."

"Thanks, mom," I curtly reply.

My mother gives me another smile, this time more encouraging, and she heads back downstairs. She's definitely praying that I'll be able to stay at this school until I graduate. Here's to hoping!

I know I can't fuck up this time. My parents are serious about sending me to military school. They're not bluffing. My father wanted to send me right after I got kicked out of my last school, but Grace convinced him to give me another chance. My father relented, so Seattle Prep will be my last chance.

I'm hoping that I can stay under the radar this year. At all of my previous schools, I was the one people pointed at, the one people gossiped about. I was the boy who was always alone. The boy who had no friends. The boy who could kick your ass in a fight. But this year, I'm determined that it will all change. I'm not going to allow myself to become a source of gossip for idiotic high school kids.

I'm going to do my work with my head down and try to avoid fighting at all costs. That means I'll need to stay away from the alcohol. I really need to sort out my shit, prove my parents wrong. I'm not the disappointment they think I am.

I get out of bed and grab my uniform from my closet. It's the standard private school uniform: khaki pants and a white, long sleeve button down. Fuck, there's even a tie. How pretentious! I begrudgingly put on the uniform along with the tie and go to the bathroom to fix my hair and brush my teeth.

When I walk downstairs for breakfast, I see Mia sitting at the breakfast bar talking mom's ear off about all the clubs and activities she has planned for this year. Mia's going to be a freshman at Bellevue Academy this year. She's so excited to finally be in high school.

"I think I'm going to join cheer. The uniforms are so cute! Oh, and maybe I can run for a position on the student council. I think I can be useful to help plan all the big events like homecoming and prom…" Mia's overexcited self babbles to mom.

I take the seat next to her where there is already a plate full of french toast and fresh fruit waiting for me.

"Hey Chrissy," Mia says much too enthusiastically for the morning. And she called me Chrissy. Ugh, I hate that. But she's the only person who can get away with that.

"Hey, Mia. Are you excited for your first day?" I decide to indulge her.

She then starts telling me the exact same thing she was telling mom. I pretend to listen to her while I eat my breakfast.

Thank God mom interrupts, "Mia sweetie, I think it's time for Christian to leave. He has a much further drive than you do. You can tell him all about your first day when you get home from school."

And there's reason to be eternally grateful for Grace Grey – helping me escape from Mia's constant blabbing. I grab the keys to my car and wish Mia good luck on her first day of high school.

I pick up my backpack and head for the garage. Before I can open the door that leads to the garage, Grace stops me. "Christian, a word please?"

I sigh and turn to face her, "Yes, mother?"

"I need you to behave yourself. Your father is serious about sending you to military school," she says. Tell me something I don't know!

I relent, "I know mom. I'm going to try. No more fights, no more drinking, none of it."

She comes to embrace me and is careful not to touch any of my boundaries. Oh, did I forget to mention that I can't be touched? Any time someone touches my upper back or chest, I see red. It's definitely a side effect of being abused by the pimp day after day.

Finally, I get into my dark grey Audi R8 and drive to school. I know it's an extravagant car for a 17-year-old, but it was a gift from my maternal grandfather, Theodore Trevelyan, right after I got my driver's license. Grandpa T has the same car, and he saw how much. He used to take me for rides. We've always been close.

My dad freaked out over the gift, though. He didn't want his son to look like a spoiled brat, and he wanted to return the car. Grandpa T eventually convinced him that I should keep the car. It was a gift after all, and my dad is unable to stand up to his father-in-law. Rumor has it, Carrick wasn't the first choice for his daughter. But regardless, it's not like my dad has any ground to stand on. He drives a Bentley for goodness sake.

Anyways, it takes me about 20 minutes to cross the bridge into Seattle and another 5 minutes before I'm pulling into the school's parking lot. I'm in the reserved lot, no doubt for the kids whose parents donate plenty of money to the school. I have spot number 102, and it's right at the front of the school. Fuck, how much money did my parents donate to this school?!

In front of a spot, there's a bronze plaque that reads: "RESERVED: C. GREY." I pull into my spot right in between a midnight blue Maserati reserved for A. Steele and a cherry red BMW M5 reserved for K. Kavanagh.

I grab my backpack from the trunk and head for the school's administrative offices. With me being a new student, they're making me pick up my schedule, which is supposed to be matched up with someone else's so they can show me around for the first few days.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

For as long as I can remember, I've always been excited about the first day back in school, and today is no exception. I'm going to be a junior this year, head of the cheer team, and student body president. What can I say, I'm a natural queen bee.

Anyways, here are some things you need to know about me:

I'm seventeen years old and am an only child. My parents got divorced when I was four years old. My "father," Raymond Steele, technically isn't my real father, as in we're not biologically related. However, he's the only dad I've ever known, and he loves me like his own daughter. That I'm sure of.

My biological father died before I was born. He was in the army and was killed in combat. That's where my mother comes in. Carla Adams married my biological father, Franklin Lambert after she found out she was pregnant with me. Sadly, he was killed in battle and left my mom alone with a child to care for. Ray and Franklin were good friends in the army, so that's how he and my mother met. Long story short, they got married then subsequently got divorced. My dad would never say anything like this, but my mother was and still is a gold digger.

My mother came from a struggling working-class family. Ray, on the other hand, came from a well to do family. They weren't filthy rich, but they were well off, with both of his parents working in the professional fields. My mother never really loved Ray; she saw him as an opportunity to give herself an easy, comfortable life. My parents' marriage tumbled when Ray caught my mother cheating on him with the man who became her third husband, Steven Morton. Ray filed for divorce, and there was a messy custody battle. Since Ray adopted me when they married, he had just as much as a legal right to me as my mother did, and the court found Ray more fit to take care of me that my mother, although she was granted visiting rights. Staying with my dad was the best thing for me after all because my mother ended up in the hospital and filed sexual abuse and rape claims against her third husband. I shudder to think of what he might've done to me had I went to live with my mother.

You're probably bored as hell having to hear all about my family's history right now, but you're going to hear it anyways. After Steven, my mom didn't know what to do with herself for a while. The divorce settlement with my dad left her with an ample amount of money, but my dad encouraged her to find a job and settle down somewhere. She ended up in Georgia with husband number four who is a good 20 years older than her, Bob Adams. Talk about a sugar daddy! My mom practically takes care of him, but I suppose money is the only thing that matters to her. I don't even think she cares about me. Even with the encouragement and monetary assistance from my father, she never wants to come see me on holidays or birthdays. It's always just Ray and me, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

Oh, now more about my dad. He was honorably discharged from the army when I was about two years old. After the military, my dad opened a private security company, which became pretty successful. I'm talking hundreds of millions of dollars successful. More recently, my dad was summoned to work for the White House as the National Security Advisor. One of his best friends from the army, Fitzgerald Grant, happens to be the president.

Initially, my dad planned to move both of us to Washington D.C. He had a place lined up for us and got me admitted to Sidwell Friends School. However, I told my dad I didn't want to leave Seattle, so he said he wasn't going to take the job. After me insisting that he needed to take the job and would regret it if he didn't, my dad made the move to D.C., and I'm living in Seattle on my own. No doubt, my dad has his security goons keep an eye on me from time to time.

My dad got me an amazing penthouse in Seattle in a building named Escala. I still get to go to Seattle Prep, and my best friend is still the one and only Kate Kavanagh. I'm one to admit that I lead an extraordinarily privileged life. Most teenagers don't have their own penthouse, drive hundred thousand dollar cars, and have millions of dollars of money to spend. But that's my reality.

* * *

Today's the first day of school, so I set my alarm clock for 6:00 AM. School starts at 8, but I need plenty of time to get ready. After all, first impressions are the ones that stick.

At 6 AM on the dock, I shoot out of bed and bolt for the bathroom. I take the time to do my daily skincare routine: La Mer cleansing foam, Sisley toner, Saint Laurent serum, Cle de Peau eye cream, La Mer moisturizer, and to finish it all off, Chanel sunscreen. Did I mention I was high maintenance?

After skincare, I move on to makeup. I don't wear much makeup because the truth is, I don't need it. Not to sound self-absorbed, but I'm not afraid to admit that I'm a natural beauty. I was blessed in the looks department. Kate always tells me how every guy at school is dying to go out with me, but truth be told, I've never met anyone I was interested in. Kate always jokes that I'm asexual and that I'll be a virgin forever. She's always so dramatic!

Anyways, back to the makeup. I don't need much, so I fill in my eyebrows a little and use some concealer to cover up some dark circles under my eyes. I check myself out in the mirror and am satisfied, so it's onto hair next!

I brush out all the tangles and fix my part. I decide to leave it straight instead of curls – I think I come off more sophisticated that way.

I go back into my room and open the enormous walk-in closet. Usually, it would take me forever to find a suitable outfit, but lucky me, the school has uniforms! I put on the obligatory plaid skirt and white blouse. I pair it with a pair of my favorite Gucci pumps and a headband that matches the color scheme of the plaid.

After all that, I go downstairs to fix myself breakfast. I decide to go with something light, so I grab a yogurt from the fridge and cut up some fresh fruit.

By the time I gather all my things and get my backpack, it's almost time to leave. I pick up the keys to my car and take the elevator down to the garage.

* * *

When I get to school, I'm a little earlier than usual, so not too many kids are here. I drive to my usual parking spot reserved for me. Kate usually has the spot next to mine, but this year someone named C. Grey has it. Hmm, I've never heard that name before. Must be a new student.

Oh, that reminds me! I'm supposed to be showing around a new student for a few days. That means I have to go to the office to pick him up. I'm kind of excited for this new student. We need some fresh faces around here.

On my walk to the courtyard, I call Kate to see where she is. It's 7:35, so she probably won't be here for another 5 or 10 minutes. She picks up on the first ring and tells me that she's pulling into the parking lot. Even though we just came back from our Europe trip a few days ago, I miss her.

When I get to the courtyard, there are already plenty of students who are chatting and catching up. I spot some of the girls on the cheer team and go to talk to them. A few minutes later Kate joins us. She's on the cheer team too, and all the girls are talking about how excited they are for the new season to start. I seem to lose track of time talking to the girls, and when I check my phone, I realize it's already 7:50. Shit! I need to pick up that new student. I politely excuse myself and speed walk to the administrative offices.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

When I walk into the office, an amiable middle-aged woman greets me. She perks up at my entrance and says, "You must be Christian Grey. We're so excited to have you this year. I'm Ms. Ross; it's so nice to meet you."

Yeah, you're excited that my parents donated a shit ton of money.

I obviously don't say that and respond, "Hello Ms. Ross. It's nice to meet you too. I was told I needed to pick up my schedule here."

"Yes, of course. I have that for you right here," she says while handing me a folder, "Your schedule is in there along with our dress code and other school policies. There's also a schedule for the athletic tryouts this week if you were interested in joining a sports team. A student volunteered to show you around the campus for the first few days. You guys have the same schedule. She should be here any minute. You can take a seat while you wait."

I smile at her, take a seat on the leather couch, and fiddle on my phone. A couple of minutes go by before someone pops through the door. She's about 5'8'' with a very slim figure. She has thick, long mahogany hair, and her legs seem to go on for days. She's wearing a fitted white blouse and a plaid skirt. She's also wearing Gucci heels along with a matching headband. Christ Mia! She's got me all knowledgeable about women's fashion from just listening to her at the dinner table drone on and on about the latest designers. This girl's body is fucking perfect. Her little perky tits are just the right size. They would fit perfectly in my hands. FUCK GREY! Get your head out of the fucking gutter. A girl that looks like that would never go for you.

"Hi Ms. Ross," the girl exclaims, "How was your summer?" Ms. Ross jumps out from behind her desk to hug the girl.

"Anastasia, it's so lovely to see you. My summer was anything but relaxing. You know how energetic and crazy my kids are. I barely got a break in. What about you?" Ms. Ross says.

"Summer was amazing," she replies. Damn, that girl has the voice of an angel. And her name is Anastasia. Quite a beautiful name for a beautiful girl. Fuck, I haven't even seen her face yet. Calm your dick down Grey!

Anastasia continues, "I spent some time with my father in DC, and then it was off to Europe with Kate."

"That sounds lovely," Ms. Ross replies. "Oh, I have the new student here." She motions to me, and I get up from the couch.

Anastasia turns around to look at me and DOUBLE FUCK! A gorgeous pair of brown doe eyes and rosy pouty lips hits me. "Anastasia, this is Christian Grey. Christian this is Anastasia Steele. She'll be showing you around."

She extends her hand out to me, but I'm too busy staring at her. Fuck snap out of it! It took an awkward moment for me to extend my hand out to her finally. Fuck, even her hands are dainty and perfectly manicured.

"Hi Christian, it's so nice to meet you," she says.

I barely spit out, "Likewise."

Ms. Ross interjects the introductions and says, "Well, I should let you kids get on with it. Class starts in a few minutes. Have a great first day guys."

We both smile and say thank you before exiting the office. I have no idea what to say to this girl. Her beauty is rendering me speechless.

Anastasia starts walking, presumably to our first class. Before the silence becomes too awkward, Anastasia begins the conversation. "So, Christian, do you live in Seattle?"

Nervously, I reply, "No, Bellevue."

"Oh, is there a reason why you're not attending school in Bellevue?"

Fuck, that question kind of hit a nerve, and I rudely reply, "I'd rather not talk about it." Grey, come on. That was fucking rude!

Anastasia looks shocked at my response, and I apologize, "Sorry, that was rather short. It wasn't a good situation, and I'd rather not talk about it."

She turns to look me in the eyes and gives me a soft smile. "No worries Christian; I'm not one to judge. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"Thanks for understanding," I say, gratefully.

We continue walking to class, and I realize that I haven't even checked my schedule yet. I have no idea what class I have first.

"Anastasia," I begin, "what class do we have first?"

"AP Calc BC," she replies, "The class is mostly seniors. I think we might be the only two juniors in this class. Mr. Warner teaches this class. You'll love him. He's one of my favorite teachers. You can call me Ana by the way. Anastasia makes me feel like my father is chastising me.

She lets out one of the cutest chuckles, and I smile right back at her.

"Okay, Ana it is then," I say.

We continue walking for a little while and stop when we reach one of the buildings. "This is Buckley Hall. All the math classes are in here. We also have AP Statistics in here fourth period. I'm not sure if you had the chance to look through your schedule yet, but all of our classes are 45 minutes long, and we have eight periods."

"Thanks for letting me know. So our schedule is exactly the same?" I ask her.

"Yep," she replies and leads me through the doors.

There were already students walking about, a buzz in the air no doubt because it's the first day of school. Walking through the halls, pretty much everyone takes the opportunity to say hi to Ana. Damn, this girl must be popular.

"I'll introduce you to some people later. We have second period free. A lot of my friends do too, so you can meet them," she says to me.

I reply, "Thank you, that's very nice of you."

When we walk into our classroom, I see that most of the seats are already filled. There are two seats front and center and two seats in the back corner. I would be inclined to take those seats in the back, but just to my luck, Ana leads us to the two unoccupied seats in the front of the classroom.

We take our seats and put our stuff down. Ana says to me, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to say hi to someone."

She walks over to a blonde girl sitting two rows behind us, and they quickly fall into a very animated conversation. I take a look around the classroom at the other students. A few nerds are occupying the other seats in the front, an assortment of other kids occupy the middle seats, and guys who one would label as "jocks" are in the back. How typical! And to top it all off, guess who those guys are staring at? Ana, of course. Fuck, that shit makes my blood boil. Fuck Grey, you literally just met her!

Anyways, I forgot to mention some things about me, didn't I? I pretty much fit the stereotypical 'jock' body type and look. Not to be narcissistic or anything, but I'm a good looking guy. I guess God had to reward me with something good. If I had such a shitty personality, at least I had good looks. I have caramel-colored hair and grey eyes. I'm fairly tall at 6'3,'' and I have a toned body. All that anger lends itself well to the gym.

Anyhow, those jock fuckers don't intimidate me one bit. I might not be on the varsity football team, but I can sure kick anyone's ass in a fight.

Ana returns to her seat next to me when the teacher walks into the room. Ana takes out her materials for class: a Louis Vuitton notebook and a matching pencil case, both monogrammed. Fuck, this girl is any guy's wet dream.

I take out my supplies as well, with no intention of taking notes.

The teacher makes his way to the front of the room and begins talking.

"Hey guys, I hope all your summers were enjoyable. For those of you who don't already know me, I'm Mr. Warner. Before we start, I'd like to make a note of a new student, Mr. Christian Grey." Oh, fuck. Just great. So much for trying to stay under the radar. I hope none of my other teachers do this.

Mr. Warner scans the room, presumably looking for me. When he sees me, he says, "Christian is sitting right here upfront next to Miss Anastasia Steele. Please take the time to introduce yourself throughout the day."

I feel the eyes of all my classmates on me and start to feel very uncomfortable. God, I wish I could sink into my seat and disappear.

Everyone's interest seemed to turn back to the teacher and off me when he starts talking about the syllabus and class expectations, and blah blah blah.

Anastasia is dutifully taking notes in the cutest bubbly handwriting I've ever seen. I find myself staring at her terribly cute concentrated face. She turns her head up to look at me, no doubt sensing my stare. I was caught red-handed as her eyes meet mine. Bashfully, I dart my head down to my unopened notebook and try to pretend that I wasn't staring at her all along. However, that doesn't seem to fool her as I hear her let out a small chuckle.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

When I get to the office, I immediately greet the school's counselor. "Hi, Ms. Ross! How was your summer?"

She tells me about her hectic summer with her kids and asks me how mine was in return. I give her a short answer and tell her about visiting my father in D.C. and my trip to Europe with Kate.

Then, she mentions the new student I'm supposed to be showing around and motions to the person behind me. I didn't even notice him! I turn around to a stunning, well-built, well over 6 ft mass of a man. Shit, this guy is hot!

Nervously, I hold out my hand to greet him. Ms. Ross said his name was Christian Grey. What a sexy name to go along with a sexy man. Since when did I start thinking about guys this way! Ana, what are you thinking?!

"Nice to meet you," I say with my hand held out, waiting for him to shake it.

A few moments later he finally shakes my hand and mutters something inaudible. Hm, must be shy or nervous about being at a new school, especially junior year when everyone already has their friend groups established. I'll try to make him as comfortable as I can, and I'll introduce him to as many people here, so he feels welcomed. Oh, I can even invite him to the party this weekend! Good idea Ana!

We leave the office and start to walk to class in complete silence. Think of something to say, Ana!

Impulsively, words start spewing out of my mouth. "So, Christian, do you live in Seattle?" It's quite odd that I've never seen him in any of my social circles. Maybe he just moved in town? It's very rare that we have new students at Seattle Prep junior year.

He replies, "No, Bellevue."

"Oh, is there a reason why you're not attending school in Bellevue?" I ask. His body immediately tenses, and he spits out, "I'd rather not talk about it." Shit, did I do something wrong! Oh God Ana, think of something to say!

Before I can say anything else Christian pipes back in, "Sorry, that was rather short. It wasn't a good situation, and I'd rather not talk about it."

I wonder what happened to him. This boy is very mysterious, but somehow that turns me on.

I assert, "No worries Christian; I'm definitely not one to judge. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to." I want to make him feel as comfortable as possible here.

"Thanks for understanding," he replies.

I give him a warm smile, and we continue walking across the expansive campus to class.

Surprisingly, Christian asks me a question. "Anastasia, what class do we have first?"

He must not have had a chance to check his schedule yet. I reply, "AP Calc BC." I explain to him how the class would be all seniors except us. I also tell him about the teacher, Mr. Warner, who is one of my absolute favorites. I also tell him to call me Ana. Anastasia is much too long, and it's what my dad calls me when I'm in trouble.

When we reach the math building, I give Christian a mini-spiel about the building. "So, this is Buckley Hall. All the math classes are in here. We also have AP Statistics in here fourth period." That's when I remembered that he probably didn't get to look over his schedule, so I informed him that all the periods were 45 minutes long and there were eight periods every day. He also asks if our schedules were the same, and I confirm that they are.

On the way to our classroom, a lot of people in the hall say hi to me. Christian must have felt a bit awkward, so I definitely need to introduce him to some people soon. I told him that since we have second period free, I'll have the chance to introduce him to some of my friends.

When we walk into the classroom together, most of the seats were already taken. Me, being the good student that I am, dart straight to the front where there are two open seats right in the center. I hope Christian doesn't mind. We set our stuff down, and I see Emily, one of the girls on the cheer team.

I tell Christian, "I'll be right back. I'm just going to say hi to someone."

I go over to where Emily was sitting, and she gave me a big hug. "Ana, it's so good to see you," she exclaims.

"It's great to see you too Emily. I just wanted to remind you that cheer practice starts tomorrow," I say.

Emily replies, "Yes, Ana. I know. What I really need to know is who is that hottie you walked in with. I've never seen him around."

"That's because he's a new student," I quip.

Emily giggles, "Well, damn that boy is fine. I would hit that."

I laugh along with her, knowing she was kidding. Deep down though, I was a little annoyed that she made a comment like that. I already called dibs on Christian!

I lightly hit her on the shoulder and chastise her, "Emily! Don't say things like that with people around."

She laughs at me and says, "I missed you Ana Banana. You better get back to your seat before Warner gets here."

I take a look at the clock and see that class was about to start. I tell Emily that we would catch up more later and go back to my seat next to Christian.

I take out my notebook and pencil case, so I'm ready to take notes once Mr. Warner started class.

When Christian reaches into his backpack to take out his supplies, I take the time to stare at his muscular arms through his shirt. I feel myself starting to bite my lip involuntary. God, Ana! Stop drooling over him; he's going to think you're a desperate hussy!

A few moments later, Mr. Warner walks in and starts talking. He introduces himself and makes a note of Christian as a new student. I could sense Christian's uneasiness, as everyone in the class looked at him. He's not one for attention, unlike me.

Anyways, Mr. Warner starts droning on about the syllabus and class expectations. To look like a dutiful student, I take notes, unlike Christian who hasn't even opened his notebook.

In my peripheral vision, I think I see Christian staring at me. I have to know for sure, so I tilt my head back up, and what do you know, our eyes meet. He was definitely staring at me. I smile at him, but that causes him to turn away from me, and he finally opens his notebook and pretends to take notes. I let out a light giggle due to the fact that he was so embarrassed at being caught staring.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Math was tedious, to say the least. Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't be able to pay attention because of the mesmerizing girl sitting next to me.

After Mr. Warner dismisses us from class, Ana brings me to the courtyard to meet some of her friends. I'm not the most sociable guy, so this is probably going to be a little awkward for me at first.

Ana and I walk over to a table, presumably filled with all her friends.

"Hey, guys," Ana says to her friends, while I follow behind her. She continues, "This is Christian. He's new this year."

They all say hi to me, and Ana introduces me to everyone sitting at the table. There's Kate Kavanagh, Natalie Davis, Josh Reilly, Luke Evans, and Alex Spence.

Natalie scooches over a little to make room for both Ana and me and says to us, "Come sit, guys."

Ana and I both make our way to where Natalie is sitting and take our seats. They immediately begin a conversation about what they did over the summer. I'm naturally an introvert, so I just listen to their conversation, not feeling like it was my place to comment about what I did over the summer.

Ana tries to bring me into the conversation a couple of times, but in all honesty, I feel super awkward around all these people who are complete strangers to me.

45 minutes flies by pretty fast with everyone's non-stop chatting, reminding me of Mia. They all disperse into different directions on the way to their next class. Meanwhile, I follow Ana's lead to our next class.

"We have English next," she says, and I nod at her.

"You're not too comfortable around all those people are you?" she asks.

Crap, how did she know? She's very observant. I think about lying to her, and telling her that I'm feeling well right now, but my conscience kicks in, and I decide to tell her the truth.

"Yeah," I reply, "I'm not a social butterfly."

She gives me a sympathetic smile and leads the way to our next class.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

At the end of the school day, I ask Christian, "Do you play any sports?"

"No, I don't," he responds.

I was surprised. Judging from his body type and build, he looks like he's a football player or something of that sort.

"They're having football tryouts today," I inform him. "You look like a football player," I giggle and regret saying it right after it came out of my mouth. Way to go, Ana, now he's going to know you've been looking at his body all day!

He laughs at my comment and says, "I do work out a lot. Sports aren't my thing. My older brother, Elliot, used to play football though. He's the quarterback for the Yale team this year."

Okay, so he has a brother, good to know. "Do you have any other siblings?" I ask.

"I have a little sister, Mia. She's a freshman this year. What about you any brothers or sisters?" he inquires.

"Nope, it's just me," I answer.

It was then I heard my stomach start to grumble. "Do you want to grab some food with me? I'm starving," I ask. I was hoping he wouldn't say no. That would have been awkward. And we only just met today. Crap! Is he going to think this is a date? I mean, I'd love to go on a date with him, but really Ana! Be subtle, not desperate!

I expect him to say that he had to get home, but to my surprise, he says, "Sure."

I was giddy on the inside, and my stomach was full of butterflies. More time with Christian and his hot body!

"Where'd you park?" I ask.

"I think I'm parked right next to you," he says, "I saw your name in the reserved spot when I pulled in this morning."

Oh, I remember now. That spot was for him. He must come from a wealthy family then.

"Do you want to drive together or separately?" I ask him.

"It's probably best to drive together, right? I can drive and then drop you off back here to pick up your car? Is that okay with you?" he replies.

"Sounds good," I say.

We walk together in silence to the reserved parking lot. Holy crap, look at his car! A spyder! That car makes my car look like a piece of junk.

"Oh my god! You have a spyder?!" I exclaim.

He chuckles at my enthusiasm and opens my door for me. Okay, swoon already. Someone taught this boy some manners.

He gets into the driver's seat after me and turns on the engine, making that signature sports car 'vroom vroom' sound.

"Where do you want to eat?" he asks.

Oops, I might have forgotten about that part. I think of all the restaurants around here. "There's a good diner near here. I'm craving burgers and fries right now."

"I pegged you for a salad kind of girl," he quips.

I laugh at his joke and say, "A girl needs to eat real food, you know."

We both giggle at each other as Christian starts to pull out of the parking lot.

"I can give you directions," I comment.

"Thanks," he says.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I can't believe Anastasia asked me to get food with her. That means she actually wants to spend time with me. Or is she just being nice because I'm a new student and she feels bad for me? Whatever the reason, I'm excited to spend more time with her.

When we get to the restaurant, there aren't that many people there. It's 3:45 on a Monday after all.

I open the door for Ana and tell the hostess, "For two."

She leads us to a booth, and we both sit down. The hostess gives us the menus and tells us our server would be with us soon."I'm so getting a milkshake," Ana remarks. God, she's so adorable.

When our server comes, we both order a cheeseburger with fries, a chocolate milkshake for me, and a vanilla one for her.

Ana says something to me, but I'm distracted by my phone ringing. I check the caller ID and, crap it's my mother. I forgot to tell her I was going out. She must be wondering where I am.

"Do you mind if I take this?" I ask her. "It's my mom."

"Go ahead," she says.

"Hey, mom! What's up?"

"Where are you, sweetie?"

"I went out to lunch with a new friend."

Grace gasps at the mention of a new friend. "That's so great sweetie. I'm glad you're making friends."

"Okay mom," I say before she could gush more about me finally making a friend. "I"ll be home in an hour or so."

"Have a nice time darling, love you."

"You too mom," I say before hanging up the phone.

"Sorry," I say to Ana, "My mom's very nosy."

She smiles at me and comments, "I think it's cute your mom's so concerned about you."

"Tell me about your family," I declare.

"My dad's working for the president in Washington D.C. right now, and my mom lives in Georgia with her husband," Ana responds.

She looks a bit upset at the mention of her mother. Probably best not to press it any further.

"So you're living all alone?" I ask.

"Yeah. I have an apartment in Seattle," she answers.

"It must get lonely by yourself," I remark.

"It does at times, but Kate keeps me company," she replies, "Anyways, enough about me. Tell me more about your family. What do your mom and dad do?"

"My mom's a doctor, and my dad's a lawyer," I state proudly. "I already told you about my siblings Mia and Elliot, right?" I ask.

"You did," she affirms.

She looks like she's about to ask me another question when our waiter comes with our food.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

After the waiter brings us our food, Christian and I start talking about anything and everything.

Somehow we get onto the topic of The Notebook.

"You like The Notebook?" I giggle.

"Hey, don't make fun of me," he laughs, "I was forced to watch it with my little sister. And I have to admit it's not bad."

"I never would have pegged you as someone who was into chick flicks," I tease.

"Don't judge a book by its cover," he jokes.

I hear my phone buzz, so I pick it up and see the time. Is it already 6? I can't believe we spend that much time talking. We completely lost track of time!

"Oh my gosh, Christian it's already 6!" I comment.

"I probably have to get home before my mother starts wondering about me again," he says.

When the waiter comes by again, we ask him for the check. Christian pulls out a 50 dollar bill, and I say, "You don't have to pay for me." I pull out some money of my own.

Christian gives the waiter the money before I could. "If my mom knew I let you pay, she'd slap me silly," he says.

"I guess chivalry isn't dead," I laugh.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

After I dropped Ana off back at school, I went home. I can't believe we talked for that long. Usually, I'm uncomfortable and closed off around people I've just met, but she just seemed to bring out something in me.

I walk into the kitchen to grab some water, and my mom is already working on dinner.

"Hey mom," I greet her.

"Christian, dear, how was your first day?" she questions.

I give my mom the obligatory answer, "It was good."

"And tell me about this friend you've made. You are home awfully late. Did you guys have a good time?" she asks.

"We kind of lost track of time, mom," I reply.

"What's his name, sweetie," she asks, probably ruling out the possibility of me making friends with a girl.

"It's actually a she. Her name's Ana. She was the one assigned to show me around school the first few days," I answer.

My mom had a look of shock on her face. She probably couldn't believe I made a friend, let alone a female one. "That's great, sweetie. You'll have to bring her over for dinner one day. I'd love to meet her," my mom says going a little crazy that I made a friend.

"Mom, I just met her. Let's hold off on a family dinner for now," I say.

"I'm just happy for you, that's all darling," she reasons.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

After lunch, Christian dropped me off at school to pick up my car. On the way home, I could barely focus on driving because I was thinking about him.

Does he like me? I mean he seemed engaged when we were talking. We were flirting, or was that all in my mind? Gahh!

When I get home, I call Kate, and she picks up on the first ring.

"Hey, Ana Banana," she greets.

"Hey, Kate," I say."Where'd you go after school today?" she asks.

"Oh, sorry. I forgot to tell you. I went out to lunch with Christian. You remember him, right? He's the new kid," I reply.

"The smoking hot tall one?" she asks.

I laugh and reply, "Yes, that one."

"Okay, go Ana Banana. You get it girl!" she teases me.

"Kate!" I admonish her.

"I'm just joking Ana," she says, "But are you actually into him?"

Nervously, I reply, "Is it bad to say I am?"

"Go for it Ana," she encourages, "There's no way he would shoot you down."

"I hope so. Thanks for the pep talk Kate. I needed it," I say.

"No problem. I'll talk to you more about this tomorrow," she states.

"Definitely," I agree, "Bye Kate," I say.

"Bye Ana," she repeats as she ends the call.


	2. Meet the Family

**Chapter 2 - Meet the Family**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I'm sitting in math class, thoroughly confused with today's notes. I'm probably going to have to meet with Mr. Warner later. I need to do well on the upcoming test.

I look at Christian sitting next to me. He has his notebook open doodling instead of taking notes. I wish I could skate through school like him.

I rip out a piece of paper and write, "Nice notes :p," and pass the note to him.

He grins, writes something down, and passes it back to me. "You should take some real notes instead of all those numbers."

I write down the indefinite integral Mr. Warner tasked us with solving and hand it to Christian. I had no idea how to solve the problem and assumed Christian didn't either because he never pays attention in class.

Again, he smiles at me and subsequently begins to jot down the solution. I furrow my brows when he hands me back the paper with the right answer circled at the bottom. I was completely baffled. He's brilliant!

"You need to be my math tutor," I whisper to him.

He softly chuckles, and I add, "I'm being serious Christian. How the hell do you know how to do this?"

Before Christian could answer, Mr. Warner dismisses the class. Everyone rushes out of class, and I start walking with Christian to our next class.

"I'm good with numbers," he says to me.

"Obviously," I snark, "I, on the other hand, am on the struggle bus."

He laughs at my expression and says, "I can help you anytime you want."

"I'm going to have to take you up on that offer," I reply as we walk into our next class.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

It's the end of the school day, and I'm contemplating asking Ana if she wants to come to my house so I can help her with math. I really want to spend more time with her, but I'm too nervous to tell her outright.

My inner demons are screaming at me, telling me not to get Ana involved with my dark shit. But I somehow can't let go of the feeling in my heart that tells me to go for it. I know it might sound crazy, but she brings out a different, lighter side of me just from the few days I've known her.

When we get out of our last class, I ask her, "If you're free today, I can help you with math at my house. Or your house."

She responds, "Oh, that's perfect. I don't have cheer practice today. You live in Bellevue, right?"

"Yep," I answer, "It's about 20-25 minutes from here."

"Okay, that sounds good. Should I meet you there?" she asks.

"I can drive us both and then bring you back to school later. Or I could drive you home and pick you up tomorrow morning," I reply logically.

"That's so nice of you," she says, "We can figure it out later. Let's get going."

Being the gentleman I am, I open my car door for her again. She gives me a bright-eyed smile and comments, "You know you don't have to keep doing that for me. I'm perfectly capable of opening doors."

I assert, "Well, you shouldn't have to," and she rolls her eyes at me.

When we get on the freeway, Ana turns on the car radio, and some Taylor Swift song is on.

"Is it okay if I turn it up?" she asks considerably.

"Yeah," I nod, and she immediately jacks up the volume.

She starts singing the lyrics perfectly, and I can't help but laugh at her silliness and sheer cuteness.

"You have to know the words to this song, Christian," she declares, "It's a classic."

"I promise you I don't," I reply.

"If you help me with math, I'll give you a Taylor Swift crash course," she jokes.

She continues singing along and starts dancing in her seat. If that wasn't the cutest shit I've ever seen, then I don't know what was.

When we finally pull into my driveway, I see that mom's car is already there. Great! Now she's going to embarrass me in front of Ana. Please, God, don't mention that I've never had friends over before her. Ana's going to think I'm a complete loser.

I put the car in park and rush over to Ana's side to open the door for her.

When I get there, she was already closing the door for herself. "I beat you to it," she teases.

This time, I roll my eyes at her, and I hear her glorious giggle.

I lead her through the back door to the kitchen, hoping my mom wouldn't be there ready to begin the Christian Grey embarrassment session.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Holy crap! Christian Grey invited me to come to his house. Does this mean he's into me? Or does he feel bad for me because I suck at math? Whatever his reason was, I'm excited to spend more time with him, not in a school setting.

When we arrive at his house, I'm in total awe. I assumed he was wealthy, but wow. Actually seeing it is something completely different. His house is a mansion and is absolutely gorgeous. The house is stunning, built in a classic French Provincial style. There's an ornate fountain out front at the center of a circular driveway, and luxury cars line the driveway: a G-Wagon, a Lamborghini, and a Range Rover.

Wait, what if his parents are home? Crap, I'm going to have to meet them and make a good impression. I walk nervously along with Christian as he leads me into his home.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Thankfully, Grace wasn't in the kitchen, and I bring Ana over to the breakfast bar. The only downside is that now Grace could pop up at any time.

"You can put your stuff down here. Do you want anything to drink?" I ask, playing the perfect host.

"Just water," she replies.

I grab two bottles of water from the fridge and hand one to her.

We both sit down, and Ana takes out her math homework.

"What do you need help with," I ask.

She ended up asking me a multitude of questions, and I skillfully answered each and every one of them. After her questions, Ana began doing her homework.

A few minutes later my mom walks in. She looks surprised that my friend was real and wasn't something I was making up.

"Hello, dear," my mom pipes in, "Who's this?"

That causes Ana to turn her head up from her homework.

My mom walks towards us, and Ana gets up to greet her.

"I'm Anastasia. It's so nice to meet you, Mrs. Grey," she says and holds out her hand.

My mom completely disregards the handshake and goes right in for the hug in typical Grace Grey fashion. _Embarrassment #1 already committed within the first few seconds of meeting her. Be cool mom!_

"Please call me Grace," she tells Ana.

"Then it's lovely to meet you Grace," Ana corrects herself.

"You too, Anastasia," my mom replies, "Christian's never brought any of his friends over before. Forgive me if I got a little excited."

Okay, now I just want to hide. "Mom," I groan, "that's enough."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

When Christian's mom pops up in the kitchen, I become terribly nervous. Act normal Ana. His parents need to like you, I tell myself.

When I go to give Christian's mom a handshake, she gives me a big hug instead. That eased my nerves a little. She also tells me to call her Grace instead of Mrs. Grey, so that helped with the nerves too.

She mentions something about Christian never having friends over, and I hear him groan in the background. Although, I wasn't surprised to hear that about Christian. From what I've observed about him in a few short days is that he doesn't easily open up to people, and he likes to keep him to himself. It seems that the only exception to that is with me. Hmm, something to think about.

"So Anastasia," Grace starts, "You're in Christian's grade?"

"Yes," I reply, "We're in all the same classes, so that's how we met."

"Would you like anything to eat or drink Anastasia?" Grace asks me.

"No thank you," I refuse politely. "Oh, and please call me Ana."

"Are you involved in any sports Ana?" she inquires. "I keep telling Christian he should try out for football, but he won't listen to me."

"I'm on the cheer team at school," I tell her.

"Oh, that's wonderful," she exclaims, "Christian's little sister, Mia, tried out for the cheer team this year. She goes to Bellevue Academy."

"Christian told me," I smile at her.

"Ana, if your parents are okay with it you should stay for dinner," she states.

I hear Christian groan in the background again and he mumbles, "Mom."

"Oh, I wouldn't want to impose on you like that. Christian was just helping me with my math homework," I say.

"Nonsense," she insists, "We'd love to have you for dinner. Christian's father should be home around 6. I have to go pick up Mia from school right now, but please stay, Ana."

I smile at her, and she grabs her keys from the counter. "I'll see you both for dinner," she says to us as she left the house.

"I'm sorry about my mother," Christian apologizes.

"No, don't apologize," I say, "Your mother is lovely."

"You don't have to stay for dinner if you don't want to," he tells me.

 _Does he not want me to stay? Um, does this mean he's not into me? Gah!_

I'm not sure what to stay, but Christian interrupts my thoughts, "I mean, I'd love it if you wanted to stay, but don't feel pressured."

My ears perk up at that statement. _So he does want to spend more time with me? At least I'm going to take it like that._

"Sure Christian," I reply, "I'd love to stay for dinner. I'm excited to meet your little sister," I comment.

"Be prepared for non-stop talking from Mia," he says.

I smile at him, and we get back to the math homework.

It was about 5 when I finished my math homework. Christian was a fantastic tutor.

"Your house is stunning," I comment.

"Ya, I guess it kind of is," he agrees. "I never really paid much attention to it, but my parents have done well, I guess." "Would you like a tour?" he asks me.

I nod and say, "I'd love one."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Okay, first of all, why did my mother have to embarrass me like that. She really had to mention I've never had a friend over. Way to make me sound like a complete loner and idiot! God, and she invited Ana to dinner. I do want her there, but that was way too far. I doubt Ana wants to hang out with my family tonight.

Nonetheless, Ana said she was going to stay, no doubt being polite to my mother who all but demanded her to stay for dinner.

Anyways, Ana commented on how beautiful the house was. I guess I was never really paying attention to my privilege. This is the kind of house you see in movies, and I get to live here.

I asked her if she wanted a tour, and she said yes. I start by bringing her to our massive backyard. I walk her over to the boathouse, which is one of my favorite places to escape.

Ana gasps in awe when I bring her in. The boathouse is filled with vibrant, blooming flowers, and light is reflecting majestically on the water and glass. Ana is looking around at the beautiful surroundings, but I'm only staring at her. For me, the beauty wasn't in the boathouse, it was looking at it through her gleaming eyes. Fuck, when did I become such a sap! Cool it, Grey!

"Do you come here often?" she asks me.

"Yeah," I reply, "Sometimes I just sit in here and think at night."

"You don't sleep?" she attempts to joke.

There's no way she could've known that I never sleep because of my terrible nightmares. I somberly reply, "No."

She notices the struggle in my voice and moves on to a different topic. "Do you go sailing often?" she asks me.

"Yeah," I answer, "I usually go with my dad and brother."

"That sounds lovely. It must be nice to have such a close family," she comments.

I nod and lead her out of the boathouse to show her the rest of the backyard. I show her the rose garden and infinity pool before leading her back inside.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

When Christian takes me back inside, his mom arrives back home with his little sister. I hear her voice before I can see her.

Christian comments, "Be prepared, Mia might bombard you."

"I think I can handle her," I joke.

When Mia sees me, she runs up to me and gives me a hug. She's absolutely adorable!

"Oh my gosh, you're real," she exclaims.

"Hi," I greet cheerfully, "You must be Mia."

"That's me," she states. "I absolutely love your shoes." Okay, is it possible to already love her? She definitely knows her fashion. I looked down at my new Christian Louboutin booties.

I reply, "Thank you."

"Those are from the fall collection, right? I wanted to get them, but my mom said I already had too many shoes," she says.

"A girl can never have too many shoes," I reply, and we both giggle.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

While Mia ambushed Ana, Grace said she wanted to talk to me.

"Christian, Anastasia is just lovely," she says.

"I'm aware, mother," I reply.

She starts takings things out of the fridge and places them on the counter to prepare dinner.

"You should bring her around here more often," she suggests.

"If you don't scare her off," I quip.

"Oh, hush, Christian," she chastises me, "Don't be so melodramatic."

I roll my eyes at her and leave the kitchen to go save Ana from Mia's exuberance.

"Mia, that's enough. I was giving Ana a tour of the house," I tell her.

"Sorry, Chrissy. I'm going to show Ana my closet. You're going to have to wait," she snarks.

Ana shrugs at me and smiles as Mia drags her upstairs.

"Mom, you need to tell Mia to calm down," I complain.

"Christian, stop complaining," she declares, "You're family's excited for you, that's all."

Again, I roll my eyes at her, and she adds, "Lighten up, sweetie, and go set the dinner table for me."

Begrudgingly I listen to her and grab the plates and cutlery from the cabinets to set the table.

I was setting the table when I heard the garage open, which meant that my dad must be home. He walks in a greeted my mother with a kiss, ugh barf!

He then walks into the dining room and greets me, "Hey son."

"Hey, dad," I reply.

"Mom tells me you brought a friend over," he states.

"I did, but Mia is currently harassing her right now," I snark.

He laughs and says, "Well you know how your sister is. She's very enthusiastic."

I nod in agreement.

"I'm happy for you son," he starts.

"Dad," I interject, "I do not need to hear another member of my family remind me that I have no friends."

"Son," he continues, "It's a good first step."

"Dad," I interrupt him again, "I've heard enough from mom already."

He gives me a knowing look and says, "Okay then, I'll leave you to it."

When I finish setting the table, I go back into the kitchen where my mother is finishing up dinner: spaghetti carbonara, caesar salad, and roasted vegetables.

"Christian, dear," she gets my attention, "Will you please go upstairs and tell Ana and Mia dinner will be ready in 5 minutes."

"Of course, mother," I reply, and march up the stairs to Mia's room.

Mia was, of course, talking Ana's ear off while showing her all the designer pieces she's been amassing. I knock on the door and relay the message: "Dinner will be ready in 5 guys."

"Got it, Chrissy," Mia shouts.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Mia and I really connected through our love of fashion. She brought me up to her room to show me all her clothes and accessories. This girl's closet could rival mine.

While I was fawning all over he designer handbags, she says, "So Ana, you and my brother…" implying that we were a thing. _God, I wish._

I laugh at her suggestion and say, "We're just friends, Mia."

She eyes me skeptically knowing I'm not telling her the complete truth.

"You like him don't you?" she asks, no doubt already knowing my answer.

I reply, "Maybe a little," and we both giggle. "Don't tell him," I demand.

She puts her hand on my shoulder and says, "Don't worry, Ana. My lips are sealed. But if it makes you feel any better, he's into you too." _Well, that's encouraging._

Mia goes back to showing me her clothes when Christian knocks on the door. He tells us that dinner is almost ready and goes back downstairs.

"Should we go downstairs?" I ask Mia.

"I'm starving," she comments, "So, that's a yes."

When we go downstairs, Grace is putting the food on the table, and who I'm presuming is Christian's dad is helping her.

He sees me and immediately comes to greet me. "Hello, Anastasia. It's so nice to meet you," he says as he holds out his hand for me to shake.

I shake his hand and reply, "Hi, Mr. Grey! It's great to meet you too."

We all take our seats at the table, and Christian takes the seat next to me.

"Dig in guys," Grace says, "I know you're all hungry."

We are all passing the food down the table, and I put a little bit of everything on my plate. The food smells so good, and my mouth is practically salivating.

Mr. Grey asks a question directed at Christian and me, "So, how's school going so far guys?"

"Good," Christian curtly replies.

I internally laugh at his short response and speak up, "Really good so far, Mr. Grey. Christian has already been such a big help to me in math. I'm absolutely terrible at math, but it's a necessary evil in school, I guess." _Crap! Now I'm starting to ramble! Get it together Ana. Don't embarrass yourself in front of his parents._

"Math was never my favorite subject either, Ana," he replies, "And please call me Carrick. Mr. Grey makes me feel old."

I smile at him, and he eyes Christian, no doubt because of his short answer.

I grab another forkful of Grace's delicious carbonara and silently moan. I wish I could have a meal like this every night. With me living alone, I have to cook for myself. I love cooking and do it well, but it's hard to find time every night with school and cheer, so I usually have to order takeout. I'd love to have a mom that made home cooked meals every day. Christian is so lucky.

Mia and Grace are having their own conversation, while Christian's dad is still focused on Christian and me.

"Are you involved in any sports Ana?" he questions.

"I'm the captain of the cheer team at school," I state proudly, "But I'm not sure if that actually qualifies as a sport."

"Oh sure it does," he replies, "I keep telling Christian to try out for something but, of course, he doesn't listen to me."

Christian rolls his eyes at his dad's commented, and I laugh to myself.

Mia jumps into the conversation, "Oh, I forgot to tell you guys. I made the cheer team. I'm going to get to wear the super cute skirt, and we're getting matching hair bows."

We all congratulate Mia; she seems super pumped.

Grace asks me, "So, Ana, what do your parents do?"

"My dad used to own a security company, but now he works in Washington D.C.," I reply, "and my mom lives in Georgia with her husband."

"You live alone, dear?" she sounds surprised.

I'm used to that by now. When people hear I live by myself, they usually wonder how my parents could trust me on my own. Most teenagers my age are flaky and irresponsible. It only makes sense that she's be skeptical.

"Yes," I reply, "My dad got a job in D.C. he couldn't refuse. I really wanted to stay in Seattle to finish high school. He was hesitant to leave me on my own at first, but he really trusts me now."

"What about your mother dear, if you don't mind me asking?" Grace rebuts.

"We don't have a close relationship," I reply, not wanting to get into it any further.

Christian interjects in sensing the tension in the room at the mention of my mother, "Mom, Ana's dad works for the president."

"Raymond Steele is your father?" Mr. Grey asks me.

"Yes, that's him," I reply.

"My law firm worked with his company on a few contracts," he says, "He's the White House National Security Advisor, correct?"

"Yes, he and President Grant were in the army together, so that's how he got that job," I state.

"Well, Ana," Grace begins, "you're always more than welcome to come here anytime you want. It must be lonely living all alone."

"Sometimes it does," I admit, "It's so nice to have a home cooked meal for a change. I'm always too busy to cook. This is delicious by the way."

"Thank you, Ana," she replies with a smile.

We all continue to chat until we were done with the meal.

"Thank you so much for dinner, Grace," I thank her.

"Of course, Ana," she replies, "I really do mean it. You're welcome here anytime."

Christian's dad excuses himself and Mia runs up to her room saying she needed to get tomorrow's outfit for school ready.

Grace starts to clear the table, so I insist, "Let me help you clean up, Grace."

"That's okay, Ana," she refuses. "Christian, why don't you finish showing Ana around the house."

Christian nods his head at her and leads me out of the dining room. He shows me the movie room, gym, wine cellar, and all the other rooms.

The last room he shows me is the living room with a gorgeous Steinway grand piano as the centerpiece of the room.

"Do you play?" I ask while motioning to the piano.

"I've been playing ever since I was six," he responds.

"Can you play me something?" I ask hopefully.

"Sure," he replies and takes a seat on the piano bench.

I take a seat next to him on the bench, and he begins to play a beautiful tune: Clair de Lune by Debussy.

I get lost in the music and watch his hands expertly glide over the ivory keys.

When he plays the final note, I comment, "That was beautiful, Christian."

His gaze meets mine and I get lost in his grey eyes. I rest my hand on top of his and feel a surge of electricity run through my veins. His face inches closer to mine, and my heart starts pounding. _Is he going to kiss me?! I think he is!_ I close my eyes expecting to feel his lips on mine, but instead, he jerks his head back and fakes a cough. _Ugh, but those lips!_

We both pretend like that almost-kiss never happened and giggle at the awkwardness.

I check the time on my phone and say, "It's getting late. I should probably head home."

He replies, "I can drop you off at home now and take you to school tomorrow morning."

Disappointed that he didn't kiss me, I merely say, "Sure."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

As I drove Ana home, I couldn't help but think of that moment at the piano. You chickened out Grey! You should've fucking kissed her. God, I really wanted those to feel those full, pouty lips on mine, but I got too nervous.

As much as I want to kiss her, I'm still reluctant to because of my many mental issues. Anastasia is too good for someone like me. I'm fucked up on the inside and out. She deserves someone better than me, but I'm already too attached to her to let her go.

Ana gives me the directions back to her apartment, and I pull up right in front of the building. She waves goodbye to me, and I tell her that I'll see her tomorrow, bright and early.

Throughout the silent car ride, I couldn't tell what she was thinking. Was she disappointed that I didn't kiss her? Did she even want me to kiss her in the first place? _Fuck! Who knows!_

She sure looked like she wanted me to kiss her, or was I reading the situation wrong. When she put her hand on mine, I felt my heart jump out of my chest and fire through my veins. _Did she feel the same way? God, I hope she did._

When I get home, I jump in the shower and go to bed, exhausted from today's events.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

After Christian dropped me off at home, I immediately texted Kate to tell her what happened today.

 **A:** You'll never guess what happened today

 **K:** What?!

 **A:** I went to Christian's house so he could help me with math. We almost kissed!  
At least I think we did

 **K:** OMG girl! He's so into you. Why didn't you guys actually kiss?

 **A:** I think he got too nervous. Our faces were literally centimeters away from each other

 **K:** Invite him to the party tomorrow night. Maybe you'll have another chance there ;)

 **A:** You're a genius Kate

 **K:** I know :)

* * *

A shorter chapter this time, but I hope you guys still enjoyed it!

The next chapter is coming in a few days. (It's going to be good! haha)


	3. Drunken Nights

**Chapter 3 - Drunken Nights**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian was supposed to pick me up this morning because I left my car at school. I decided I was definitely inviting him to the party tonight. Maybe he won't be so scared to make a move on me since we're not at his house with his family there.

After my alarm goes off, I get out of bed and prepare for school. After that, I go downstairs for breakfast. Out of laziness, I pour myself a bowl of cereal with almond milk.

I get a text from Christian a few minutes later.

 **C:** Hey. I'm waiting outside.

 **A:** I'll be down in a minute

I pick up my backpack and take the elevator downstairs.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Because I needed to pick up Ana, I had to wake up a little earlier than usual. I was rushing out of the house, afraid I'd be late to pick her up.

All night I had an internal struggle with myself. I was really into Ana, but I didn't want to get her involved with my dark shit. But I really really liked her.

My head was telling me to stay as far away from her as I could, but my heart was telling me something completely different. My heart was screaming at me to take a chance and go for it.

If I'm going to go after her, I'm going to do it right. I'm going to go all out with the romance and hearts and flowers. A girl like Ana deserves that.

On the drive to Ana's apartment, I internally decide that I'm going to ask her out on a date. A real date, not a "study session" at my house. I have the perfect date planned in my mind.

My parents aren't going to be home this weekend. My dad had to go on a business trip to New York City, and my mom went with him.

Since Ana seemed to love the boathouse so much, I'm going to inlist Mia's help to set up a romantic candlelit dinner for Ana and me. Mia loves to cook, so it shouldn't be a problem.

When I get to Ana's apartment, I text her to let her know I arrived.

When I see her, my heart starts to pound in my chest. She truly is beautiful, inside and out. I immediately get out of the car to open her door, and right on cue, she rolls her eyes at me.

"Hey Christian," she greets me cheerfully.

"Hey Ana," I reply.

I wait for her to get in the car and close the door for her as well.

I get back in the driver's seat and head for school. _Shit?! How am I going to ask her on the date? Fuck, you have the date planned, but you don't have a plan on how to ask her. Fuck. Come up with something Grey._

Ana's voice catches my attention, "Oh, I forgot to mention that there's a party tonight. You're invited. You should definitely come."

 _Fuck, a party?!_ No doubt there's going to be drinking. I swore I would stop drinking, so I don't know if I want to go and be around drunk teenagers.

I reply unsure what to say, "Umm, sure. What time?"

"Ten," she says, "You don't have to come if you don't want to. I just thought you might be interested." she rambles nervously.

I cut her off, "I'll be there," and turn my head to give her a warm smile.

"Great," she responds, "I'll text you the address after school. It's at a football player's house. I'm not sure if you know him, but his name is Colton."

Colton? That name doesn't ring a bell, but whatever, if Ana's there, I'll be there.

 _Crap!_ I just realized I was supposed to ask her on a date. But she just invited me to this party. _Oh well, I guess there's always next week_.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

After school, I have cheer practice. I go to the girl's locker room to change, and the whole team is already there.

I spot Kate and run up to her.

"Hey Banana," she greets me.

I laugh at her very creative nickname and say, "Christian's coming to the party tonight."

She squeals and says, "Yay, Ana. That's great. You need to look extra hot tonight then. I'm coming over after practice so we can get you looking like sex on legs."

I giggle at her comments and reply sarcastically, "Okay Kate."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

After school, I had to pick up Mia from her school because our parents are out of town.

"Chrissy!" she greets me. She always loves teasing me like that.

"Hey Mia," I reply as she gets in the car. "Will you be okay staying at home alone tonight?" I ask her.

"Ooooh, where are you going?" she asks nosily.

"None of your business," I quip back.

"Do you have a date?" she giggles.

"No, actually," I reply. _I wish I did._

"Okay, whatever. I'll be fine," she finally says, "Go have fun with your non-existent date."

I roll my eyes at her, and we drive home in comfortable silence.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Damn, Ana. Your butt in that dress is off the charts," Kate shouts.

I giggle and check myself out in the mirror. Damn, she's right. This Herve Leger black bandage dress is doing wonders for my rear end.

"Now we need to find shoes," I tell her.

"I'm on it," Kate replies while she darts to my shoe closet, no doubt making a huge mess looking for the perfect pair.

She comes back moments later with the perfect pair of black Louboutins.

"These are perfect Kate," I gush.

"I know," she replies.

I grab my black Chanel wallet on a chain to complete the look.

"Now it's your turn," I tell Kate.

She glances at me and says, "I'm not the one who's trying to impress a boy."

Teasingly, I elbow her, and we both start laughing uncontrollably.

* * *

After getting dressed, Kate suggests that we eat dinner at Canlis before the party.

 _You can't drink on an empty stomach, right?_ And Canlis is my absolute favorite restaurant.

Anyways, I'm not a big drinker. It never appealed to me to get blackout drunk. Kate, on the other hand, is a wild one. She's not an alcoholic, but she loves to let loose every now and then. And by every now and then, I mean every weekend.

After dinner, Kate and I head back to my place. The party starts at 9, but neither of us wants to show up on time. That's why I told Christian the party was at 10. Kate and I are planning to go a little earlier than 10, but we're going for the casually late vibe.

Around 9:30, Kate and I uber to Colton's house for the party. I guess now's a good time to talk about Colton. Anyone who isn't blind would say that Colton is a good looking guy. He's blonde, blue-eyed, and has a muscular build. He's the quarterback and captain of the football team. I know, what a typical high school cliche.

Anyways, he asked me out about 10 different times last year. Truth is, I just wasn't interested. He's dumb as a board, and not at all my type. I guess it only made sense for him to ask me out – the head cheerleader and the quarterback.

Eventually, Colton got tired of the rejection and stopped asking me out, which I was so thankful for. We had a ton of mutual friends, so we were always friendly with each other, but we were never close.

When we arrive at Colton's house, we hear the loud music coming from the house. The door is unlocked, so we walk into an already packed house of semi-drunk kids.

Colton appears in the foyer and greets both of us with a hug.

"Hey guys," he says, "Glad you could make it. Can I get you any drinks?"

"Yes please," we both reply.

He comes back moments later with two red solo cups and hands them to Kate and me. I have absolutely no idea what's in it, but I drink it anyway.

"I'm going to go see if Christian's here," I tell Kate and leave her with Colton.

I walk around the downstairs of the house but don't see him anywhere. Hmm, it's not 10 quite yet, so he'll probably be here soon.

 _10:30_

Okay, so Christian still isn't here. Colton keeps supplying me with drinks. I think I've had about 3 so far. I would say I'm a bit tipsy.

Kate and I are socializing with some of the girls on the cheer team along with some of the boys on the football team.

I can't wholly focus on the conversation because I keep looking at the door to see if Christian will arrive.

 _11:00_

I check my phone for the time, and it's already 11. I kind of resign myself to the fact that Christian probably isn't going to make an appearance. Even though this isn't a date, I feel like he somehow stood me up. I'm disappointed, to say the least.

I keep drinking and drinking. I think I'm getting a little too drunk, but I'm too helpless to stop myself. I'm feeling a little more disoriented and dizzy, but no one seems to notice anything is off.

"Hey Ana, do you want another drink?" Colton asks me.

"Sssure," I slur out.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

When I get home from school, I take a nap. I was utterly exhausted and had no idea why.

When I wake up, I check the time. _Fuck, it's already 11 pm?! How the hell did I sleep for almost 7 hours!_

Ana said the party started at 10, so that means I'm already an hour late. Ana was expecting me! _God Grey, that's how you get girls interested in you – show up late to places!_

Well, she might not even care that I'm not there. Let's be honest, that girl seemed to have friends for days. She's probably not even missing me at all.

At this point, I'm debating whether or not I should still go, but something in me tells me that showing up late is better than not showing up at all.

I quickly get dressed and head for the garage. I tell myself that I definitely won't be drinking. A drunk Christian Grey is an angry Christian Grey, and Ana does not need to see me like that.

I enter the address Ana texted me into Google Maps. It says it's going to take about 20 minutes to get there, so I'll probably be there around 11:30.

When I arrive, it's 11:30 on the dot. There are a ton of cars parked around the house, and I can hear the music from inside my car. At least I know I'm at the right place.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"WHOOOOOOOOOOOOH!" I scream at the top of my lungs as I jump on the table and start dancing.

"Take it off," people start screaming at me.

Haha, take off what? What do they mean? Take off my shoes maybe?

I momentarily stop dancing and fling my shoes off me.

"Take off your dress," one person screams at me.

Haha, that's a funny idea. I should do that.

I ungracefully unzip my dress and let it pool at my feet. I'm wearing very skimpy black lace lingerie. Everyone sure is getting quite an eyeful.

I take another shot and scream out again, "WHOOOOOOOOOOH!"

My memory starts to get a little fuzzy after that, but I'm pretty sure someone picks me up off the table and starts to carry me upstairs. _Mmmm, sleep sounds good right now._

Next thing I know, I'm being dragged to the corner of a room. Haha, who is this? My head is spinning, and my vision is a little blurry. Is this Colton?! I think so.

I start giggling uncontrollably for no reason.

"Shhhhh," he says while backing me more into the corner.

I continue to giggle, not really knowing what is going on.

He puts his hand on my waist and pushes me back hard against the wall. _Ow, that hurt!_

I try to get out of his grip, but I can't. "Let me go," I protest.

He doesn't respond and moves his hand from my waist to my ass. _This, I was not okay with._

"Colton, stop," I command.

"Come on Ana, I know you want it," he replies while attempting to remove my panties.

I freak out and try to shove his hands away from my waist. "Colton, please stop," I plead.

He keeps his tight grip on me and tries to kiss me. I dart my head out of the way just in time, and his lips are met with my cheek instead of my lips.

"Let me go," I insist, "I don't want this."

He still doesn't listen to me. I feel trapped and suffocated.

I let out a loud shriek and scream, "SOMEONE, PLEASE HELP ME!"

He whispers into my ear, "No one can hear you."

I panic even more and try to kick his groin, but he's way stronger than I am. I couldn't move my body an inch.

The last thing I remember is him trying to remove my bra before everything goes black.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

When I walk through the door, there are drunk kids all over the place. I scan the main room for Ana, but I don't see her anywhere. I spot Kate and walk over to her to ask if she knows where Ana is.

She's way too drunk and tells me she has no idea where Ana is.

I start to get really nervous when I don't see Ana anywhere downstairs. At least Kate was good for something and told me she and Ana came together.

 _Fuck, where could she be?!_

I faintly hear what sounded like a scream coming from upstairs. Instinctively, I go up there to investigate.

I then hear another scream coming from behind a closed door that sounds distinctively like Ana's voice, "SOMEONE, PLEASE HELP ME!"

I throw open the door where I heard the screams coming from, and I see red.

Some blonde fucker is trying to force himself on Ana. _What kind of man does that?_ She's screaming for help and struggling to get out of his grip.

There isn't any time to feel sorry for Ana, what I need to do is stop this fucker from getting any further and hurting this angel.

I grab this idiot's collar and violently rip him off of Ana. My blood is boiling, my anger levels are rising, and I sucker punch this asshole as hard as I can. I put all my weight into it, and this fucker immediately falls to the ground. I want to and should keep beating the shit out of this kid, but I need to focus on Ana.

She's lying unconscious on the floor, and as much as I want to pummel this guy, I needed to tend to Ana first.

It's then I notice Ana is only wearing her bra and panties. I look around the room for her clothes but can't find them anywhere. I take off my leather jacket and wrap it around her rather small frame for her modesty's sake.

I pick her up bridal style and carry her to my car. I notice that her head is resting against my chest, which is usually a no-go area for me. The usual burning sensation isn't there. The fear isn't there. _Is this some kind of joke?_ I can't fathom not reacting badly to anyone's touch. Why is it different with Ana?

Nonetheless, I shrug it off. It's probably because she's unconscious. There's no way someone can touch me, advertently or inadvertently, and not feel a burning sensation running throughout my whole body, bringing back memories of the pimp.

I buckle her into the front seat of my car, so I can keep a close eye on her.

I debate whether to take her back to her place or mine. I don't want to take the chance of leaving her alone, so I decide to go with the latter.

When we get to my house, I carry Ana's sleeping body to my room bring her upstairs to my room. I lay her down on my bed, and I realize I need to find her some comfy clothes to wear.

I rummage through my drawers and find a suitable plain white t-shirt and a pair of Free City sweats. The clothes will be way too big for her, but they'll have to do.

I remove my leather jacket that I wrapped around her and dress her in the more comfy clothes. It's quite weird to be doing this for a woman, and even more bizarre that she isn't responsive.

When I finish dressing her, I pull the duvet over her to keep her warm. I grab another fleece blanket from my closet and lightly drape it over her.

I go to lie down on the couch adjacent to the bed so I can keep an eye on her in case she wakes up in the middle of the night.

Before I know it, I'm sleeping the night away too.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I wake up with a massive headache. I squint my eyes to adjust to the light and panic when I realized I have no idea where I am.

I barely remember what happened last night. I remember Christian not showing up and then getting really drunk. I faintly remember dancing on top of a table. _Fuck, I took off my dress. Stupid Ana!_

After that things get even fuzzier, but I think I remember Colton dragging me off the table and off to another part of the house.

 _Oh God, he tried to take off my panties and kiss me!_ Memories come flooding back, and I remember struggling against his grip and screaming for help.

I panic even more. Did he rape me? What the hell happened? I look down, and I'm wearing clothes that are way too big for me.

I suddenly feel dirty and used. I bolt out of bed when a familiar voice catches my attention.

"Ana," I hear. It was undoubtedly Christian's voice. What the hell happened last night?!

"Christian?" I question.

He comes over to me and helps me lie down back onto the bed. I'm apparently still disoriented and very hungover from last night.

Completely out of nowhere, I start sobbing uncontrollably.

"Shhhhhh," Christian soothes me, "You're alright."

In between sobs, I ask, "What happened last night?"

He recounts, "I got to the party really late, and went looking for you. No one knew where you were so I went upstairs to look for you. I heard your screams coming from one of the bedrooms, and some fucker was trying to force himself on you. You were way too drunk and helpless to defend yourself. I knocked him out cold and took you back to my house so I could keep an eye on you."

I sob even harder realizing how grateful I need to be for him. He truly saved me.

"Thank you so much, Christian," I say, eternally grateful for what he did.

"I'm so sorry I didn't get there earlier, Ana. I overslept…" he tries to apologize.

"Don't apologize, Christian, you saved me. I owe you everything," I say while continuing to cry in his arms.

He strokes my hair, and the sobs start to subside. I feel safe in his arms.

"Ana," he says getting my attention.

I focus my eyes on him, and he continues, "If you don't mind me asking, do you remember who that was last night. My dad's an attorney; you could press charges for attempted rape."

I cringe at the thought and immediately shake my head, "No. No charges. I want this whole thing to go away. No one ever needs to know."

"Ana," he tries to reason, "He deserves to be punished for what he tried to do to you."

"No," I say again, "I don't want people to gossip about what happened. The whole thing is a he said, she said situation. I mean, I was practically asking for it prancing around in my lingerie."

"You weren't asking for it, Ana," he says, "You were too drunk to function, and no man should treat a woman like that."

"Can we drop it for now?" I ask.

He nods and changes the subject, "Are you hungry?"

"Starving," I reply, and we both go downstairs for breakfast.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I take Ana downstairs for breakfast, but there was just one little problem. I DON'T COOK. Fuck, what am I going to do?

I start pacing around the kitchen. I get some eggs and milk out of the fridge and lay them out on the counter. Um, what do I make with this? Please dear God, Martha Stewart, please help me. I think about calling Mia in for some reinforcements, but she's probably still getting her Saturday morning beauty sleep.

"You don't cook do you," Ana giggles.

Measly I reply, "Not a clue."

She laughs again and says, "How do pancakes sound?"

* * *

20 minutes later, Ana had made the most perfect pancakes and whipped cream to go with it.

We sit down at the breakfast bar together and eat.

"Are your parents home?" Ana questions.

"No," I reply, "They're on a business trip."

"And Mia?"

"Still sleeping probably," I chuckle.

"Shit, Kate's probably worrying about me," she comments.

"Don't worry," I reply, "I sent her a text last night saying I was going to take care of you."

"These are your clothes, I presume," Ana comments.

"Yeah," I reply, "I couldn't find your clothes last night."

She visibly tenses at my words and the mention of last night, so I change the subject, "Where'd you learn how to cook like this?"

"Food Network and Gordon Ramsay," she chuckles. "I'll make you dinner sometime."

Was that an insinuation at a date? God, I hope it was because I couldn't stop these words from coming out of my big fat mouth: "Go on a date with me."

* * *

A/N: Another shorter chapter. I originally had one chapter written, but thought it was best to split it into two. Next chapter coming soon!

Leave me a review if you liked it!


	4. A Date to Remember

**Chapter 4 - A Date to Remember**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Go on a date with me," Christian blurts out.

I'm so shocked that I can't respond. I can't believe he wants to go out with me after what he witnessed last night.

Because I was unable to respond Christian babbles, "I mean like maybe dinner… or lunch… or maybe breakfast…"

Why is his nervousness so cute?! I cut him off and confidently respond, "Yes."

"What?" he says incredulously.

"Yes, I'll go on a date with you," I giggle.

He looks relieved. "For a second there, I thought you would say no."

"Who could ever say no to you," I flirt.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

After Ana and I finished eating, I decided to have a little fun with her.

I grab the bowl of whipped cream and put a dollop of it on her nose when she isn't paying attention.

"Christian!" she admonishes.

I can't help but laugh. When she's trying to be angry and upset, she comes off cute and adorable.

"Oh, I'm so going to get you back, Grey!" she yells.

She snatches the bowl of whipped cream out of my hands and uses a spoon to splatter it all over me.

"Haha," she teases.

I take the bowl of leftover pancake batter, and Ana knows what I'm about to do with it.

She runs away from me, and I chase after her. I'm much faster than her, so I catch up quickly. She still has the whipped cream in her hands, so we take turns throwing food all over the place and on each other.

When I finally had enough of being pelted by sticky cream, I declare, "Okay, okay. You win. I'm waving the white flag."

She giggles in victory and replies, "I told you not to mess with me. I can be very scary if I try."

I laugh at her statement and move in closer to her to wipe some of the pancake batter battle scars from off her cheeks.

My face is inches from hers, much like a few days ago by my piano.

I think about kissing her. My inner demons are screaming at me not to, but the sliver of good in me is telling me to do it.

My grey eyes intensely stare into her blue ones. There's no way around it. We're irrevocably connected. There's something here. Something more.

Her lips are trembling, begging me to kiss her, so I do, and it feels like heaven.

I wrap my arms around her waist to bring her closer to me. Because of the height difference, she has to stand on her tip-toes. Her small hands latch onto my hair, which turns me on even more.

When Ana's lips part, our tongues meet and battle for dominance. I hear Ana let out what can only be described as a purr, and I feel it right at my groin. I think she sensed it because she starts to thrust her pelvis against me causing me to groan.

When we break the kiss, my lips make their way to her neck. I suck and nibble everywhere that I can.

"Mmmmm, Christian," she moans.

I keep on going, kissing every inch of her neck that is exposed.

"God, Christian." she trembles. "I… I… I think we should slow things down a bit," she barely gets out.

 _Fuck. Of course Grey!_ She's not trying to fuck you right now. For God's sake, she was almost raped yesterday. _Have some respect Grey!_

My lips break away from her neck, and we're both panting.

She bites her lip, and it drives me even crazier. By now, I'm sporting a very large, obvious erection. Control Grey!

We both smile like loons at each other over what just transpired.

"I think we should get cleaned up. I'm sure Mia can lend you some of her clothes," I state.

"Perfect," she agrees.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Okay. What the hell just happened?!

How did a food fight end up with the best, hottest kiss of my very short life?!

I don't know, but I don't care. All I know is that I want more of Christian Grey.

After Mia woke up, she let me borrow some of her clothes: a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

After getting dressed, I go back downstairs to where Christian is lounging on the couch in the living room.

"Hey, did you by any chance get my phone yesterday?" I ask.

"Shit," he replies, "I totally forgot about it. Sorry."

I sit on the couch next to him. "That's okay. Do you mind if I borrow your phone to text Kate?"

"For sure," he responds and hands me his phone from his pocket.

Thankfully, Kate and I remember each other's phone numbers.

 **A:** Hey, it's me Ana

Kate replies almost instantaneously.

 **K:** OMG! ANA YOU HAVE TO CHECK YOUR SNAPCHAT NOW!

There are videos of you everywhere!

I start to nervously shake, worried about what could be on those videos.

Christian puts his hand on my shoulder to calm me. "What's wrong?" he asks.

Not able to form any words, I show him the text message Kate sent me.

He continues to rub my back to soothe me.

"This is going to be so embarrassing at school on Monday," I say with tears forming in my eyes, "Everyone's going to label me as a whore."

"You're not a whore, Ana" he rebuts, "Don't ever call yourself that again."

I melt into his arms and ask, "Do you mind if I log in to my Snapchat to see the videos?"

"Are you sure you want to do that?" he asks.

I nod my head, and he says that it's okay.

When I look at some of the Snapchat stories from last night, I see exactly how drunk I was.

There were videos of me stripping on a table and dancing like a whore. More tears start to form in my eyes.

"Ana, I promise you everyone is going to forget about this so fast. I also doubt most people remember what happened last night anyway because they were all so drunk."

Christian's reasoning makes some sense to me, and I finally stop hyperventilating. Christian wipes the tears running down my cheeks away.

"I don't want to see any more tears running down your beautiful face," he says.

I chuckle at his comment and say truthfully, "I don't deserve you."

He replies, "I think it's me that doesn't deserve you."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Ana falls asleep on my shoulder a few minutes later. She's probably still hungover and tired from last night.

Ana's head is resting against my chest, and I would usually freak out, but somehow, I'm perfectly content. There's no pain or burning. I only feel warmth in my heart. _What is this girl doing to me?!_

Mia comes downstairs and sees us in the living room. She walks in, and I silently point to Ana to inform Mia that she needs to be quiet because Ana is sleeping.

Mia looks shocked, no doubt because Ana's head is resting against my shoulder, and I'm allowing it.

After her initial shock, Mia forms a heart with her hands and giggles quietly.

I roll my eyes at her and mouth, "Leave."

She continues to silently laugh at me and goes into the kitchen for some food.

I move some of the hair that has fallen over Ana's face and softly tuck it behind her ear.

I take a moment to survey her face. She still has some remnants of her dried up tears on her face, and I make a vow never to let anyone hurt this angel ever again.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

 _Crap did I fall asleep again?! Way to go Ana. I'm sure Christian loves spending time with you when you're sleeping._

When I wake up again, I realize I'm still in Christian's strong arms.

Christian says, "Hey sleepy head," as I yawn.

I'd love to spend all day with Christian, but I don't want him to get tired of me.

"Do you mind taking me home?" I ask.

"Of course," he replies. "Do you want to take the Lambo?" he asks enthusiastically.

I laugh at his excitement to take me for a spin in the sports car, so I reply, "Hell yeah!"

* * *

"Christian slow down!" I scream at him.

He chuckles at me and speeds up. I have to admit; this is exhilarating.

Christian expertly weaves through the traffic on the highway and revs the engine, letting everyone know there's a Lamborghini on the road.

Since the car is a convertible, the wind is blowing my hair around in all different directions. I throw my hands up in the air and just have fun.

When Christian arrives at my house, I thank him for the ride. He flashes me that charming smile of his, and my heart melts.

I start to walk into the building when I hear him shout at me, "I'll pick you up at 7."

I turn back and grin at him. He starts the engine and darts off, not letting me respond to him. _I guess I'll have to get ready for a date tonight!_

I race up to my place to call Kate and tell her about my date. I then realize I need to get a new phone – like now.

I change out of Mia's clothes and make a mental note to give these back to Christian when he picks me up tonight.

I put on a simple pair of black Rag & Bone jeans and a plain white Vince top. I put on a pair of Gucci sneakers, grab my black Hermes Birken, and head for the Apple store.

After I get my phone, I immediately text Kate.

 **A:** It's Ana - had to get a new phone. Guess who has a date tonight?

Like usual, Kate responds within seconds.

 **K:** OMG, no way!

 **A:** Christian asked me out!

 **K:** Little virgin banana is growing up

I roll my eyes at that comment.

 **A:** I'm not having sex with him on the first date

 **K:** Noted, but I'm here for pointers if you need

 **A:** I'll let you know how the date goes first

 **K:** :)

I put my phone in my purse and drive home to get ready for my date.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I'm really excited for my date with Ana today. I don't know what gave me the balls to command her into going on a date with me tonight, but somehow it happened.

When I get home, I immediately call Mia down to help me implement my perfect date plan in the boathouse.

"Mia," I shout, hoping she'll hear me from upstairs.

Either she's ignoring me or can't hear me, so I go upstairs to her room.

Mia's laying on her bed on FaceTime with one of her friends.

"Mia," I interrupt, "I need your help with something."

"Ugh," Mia says to her friend, "My idiot brother needs something. I'll call you back."

She hangs up the phone and turns her attention to me.

"What do you want Chrissy?" she says with an attitude.

I choose to ignore her tone and say, "I have a date with Ana tonight."

Mia's mood immediately shifts and she bolts out of bed and rushes me with a hug.

Even after all these years, I'm still not comfortable with Mia's touch, but she knows where my boundaries are.

I would say I'm the most comfortable with Mia's touch. When mom and dad brought her home as a baby, I didn't talk. Mostly because I was scared and frightened.

Mia helped me get over some of my fears and the first word I ever said with Grace and Carrick was "Mia."

I'll always be eternally grateful for my little sister, even though she can be a handfull most of the time.

After Mia is satisfied with her hug I tell her, "I need your help setting up our date."

Mia jumps up and down and exclaims, "Oh my gosh, yay! I'd love to help. What do you need me to do?"

"I just need you to handle the food for tonight's dinner," I tell her, "I'll set everything else up?"

"Are you just having dinner at our house, Chrissy. That's lame!" she says judgementally.

"No," I reply, "I'm going to set up the boathouse with more flowers and some candles during moonlight."

"Awwwww," Mia coos, "That's so romantic. I didn't know you had it in you."

"Neither did I," I quip.

"So," she begins, "What do you want me to make?"

I reply, "Whatever you think would work. You're the chef here." I practically know nothing about food. I just eat it.

Mia runs downstairs, presumably to the kitchen to get started on dinner. I knew she would love to help me!

I check the time on my phone. It's only 3, so that should give me an ample amount of time to pick up some stuff for our date and get ready.

I go downstairs and tell Mia that I'll be running some errands and that I'll be back relatively soon.

She's already making a mess of the kitchen, but I know she'll be able to produce something delicious.

I get in the G-Wagon because I need some trunk space for all the stuff I'm about to pick up.

First stop is the florist. This is the one my dad always goes to when he's in hot water with my mom.

I purchase a huge bouquet of red roses to give to Ana and some more bouquets of various flowers to decorate the boathouse with.

After that, I head to Target to pick up a whole bunch of tea candles. I bought about 200 of them to light up all around the boathouse to create a romantic vibe.

I get back home at around 5, and Mia is running around the kitchen.

"What's on the menu tonight?" I ask her.

She continues to move around the kitchen and says, "Ceasar salad to start. Followed by filet mignon with potato gratin and roasted vegetables as sides. And for dessert, there's going to be crème brûlée with vanilla ice cream."

I'm pretty impressed that Mia came up with that in such a short amount of time. "Wow, that sounds amazing," I state.

"I know," she says, "Now get out of my kitchen. You're distracting me."

I do as I'm told and go to the boathouse to set things up. I move one of the tables and chairs from inside to the boathouse. I get the tablecloth, silverware, and China and set the table.

Once I'm satisfied with how the table looks, I place a small bunch of flowers on the table as a centerpiece.

Next is the candles. I arrange all 200 of them around the boathouse and remind myself to tell Mia to light them when I go pick up Ana.

Once the boathouse is all done, it's time for me to get ready.

I run upstairs to my room to take a quick shower. After the shower, I make sure to shave – j _ust in case I get to kiss Ana again._

After the shower, I get dressed in a pair of dark wash jeans, a white button down, and my favorite black leather jacket.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

To say I'm nervous for my date with Christian would be an understatement. I have no idea where he's taking me and have no idea how to dress.

I go to text Christian but realize I don't have his number on my new phone.

I decide to text Kate to see if she has it.

 **A:** Do you have Christian's #

 **K:** Yeah, I'll send it to you

A few seconds later I get a notification with Christian's contact information in it.

 **A:** What's the dress code for tonight?

He replies a few minutes later

 **C:** Casual dressy - but not too casual

I laugh at his response and start to picture what the perfect outfit would be.

I search through my closet and decide on a sleeveless, satin white, button-up dress with a wrap around bow by Alexis Mabille.

I find a pair of the classic Christian Louboutin 'So Kate' black leather heels and pair it with a black Chloe 'Drew' bag.

Before getting dressed, I do a little heavier makeup than usual. I put on some concealer, mascara, eyeliner, and fill in my eyebrows. I finish off the look with a little nude lipgloss and call it a day.

I get dressed into the selected outfit for tonight and send a picture to Kate.

 **A:** What do you think?

 **K:** My bff is smoking hot! Christian is going to love it

 **A:** Thanks for boosting my ego

I put my phone away and check myself out in the mirror again. Damn, she was right! I do look good. Let's hope Christian is just as impressed.

It's only 6:45, so Christian should be here in about 15 minutes.

5 minutes later, Christian texts me.

 **C:** I'm a little early. Come down whenever you're ready

 **A:** I'm ready. Be down in a minute

Nervously, I make my way down to the street where Christian is parked right in front of the building.

When I make eye contact with him, my nerves go away, and a sense of calm rushes over me.

He's driving the Spyder and gets out of the car to hand me a gorgeous bouquet of red roses. _How sweet and thoughtful is this boy?!_

"These are for you," he says with a bright smile.

"Thank you. You didn't have to," I reply.

He shrugs at me and says, "Of course I did. You look stunning by the way."

I blush and reply, "You look great yourself." I ask, "Do you want to come upstairs with me to put this in a vase?"

"Sure," he replies.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Ana takes me upstairs to her apartment. The elevator takes us up to one of the highest floors.

"Welcome to my place," she says as we walk into the apartment.

The penthouse is modern, sleek, and very feminine. There are shopping bags all over the place, reminding me of Mia's shopping addiction. It's a place I'd expect Ana to live in.

"Let me get a vase for these, and we can go," she says.

She rummages through her cabinets and pulls out a crystal vase. I take a seat at her breakfast bar and watch her fill up the vase with tap water.

She carefully arranges the flowers in the vase and places it on the counter.

"Where are you taking me Grey?" she asks.

"It's a surprise," I tell her.

She eyes me, and I chuckle at her.

We go back downstairs and get in the car on the way to my house. _Mia better have lighted all those candles like I told her to!_

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian and I are in his car on our way to an undisclosed location.

"Can you please tell me where we're going," I plead.

"A surprise is a surprise," he says, "Be patient."

 _Ugh, I am anything but patient. I'm sure whatever he has planned is going to be great._

10 minutes later, we are pulling into his driveway.

"Why are we at your house?" I ask.

"It's all part of the surprise," he replies.

We get out of the car, and he leads me to his backyard.

Christian walks us over to the boathouse and opens the door.

 _Wow. This is amazing. And he did this for me?! Ugh, swoon!_

The boathouse is beautiful. There are flowers galore and beautifully lit tea lights all around a perfectly set table.

"Oh, Christian," I gush, "This is amazing!"

"You like it?" he asks rhetorically.

"I love it. This is one of the most thoughtful things anyone has ever done for me," I reply.

The moonlight is shining through the parts of the ceiling that are glass, and it looks like a fairytale.

Christian leads us to the table and pulls out my chair for me.

 _Why is this the most perfect man ever?_

A stunning meal is already laid out for us on the table.

"Did you cook this?" I ask in amazement. I thought he was utterly helpless in the kitchen.

He laughs and replies, "Mia did. She's the chef. I just eat."

I laugh at his comment, and we start to dig into the delicious food.

* * *

"Tell me more about you," Christian states.

"What do you want to know?" I ask with a smile.

"Everything," he replies, "but let's start with your favorite color."

"Grey," I reply, and we both laugh at my answer.

"It's pink," I say definitively. "And yours?" I question.

"Hey, it's my turn to ask questions," he says jokingly.

"Alright then, ask away," I say.

"Favorite movie?"

"Titanic, obviously."

"Favorite book?"

"Tess of the D'Urbervilles."

"Most embarrassing moment as a kid?"

I reply, "It was in third grade. We were making cardboard pumpkin cutouts for Halloween. Some snot-nosed kid spilled black paint all over my Chanel blouse."

"That's your most embarrassing moment?" he asks and laughs at the incident.

"Hey! It was traumatizing as a little kid. And Chanel does not deserve to be treated like that," I say.

We both laugh, and he moves onto the next question: "What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Wow, getting into some serious subjects here Grey," I tease.

He shrugs, and I confidently answer, "I've always loved books. Whenever I have free time, I love to read books. I think I want to go into publishing. Hopefully, find the next great American novel that high school kids will have to study in school someday."

"You sound passionate about it," he comments.

"I am," I affirm. "Maybe someday I can own my own publishing firm, but I'm getting ahead of myself now."

"It's my turn now, Grey," I declare, "You've got enough questions in."

"Okay, bossy," he replies, "Go ahead."

I start off with the question he just asked me, "What do you want to do when you're older?"

"Oh, so we're already going to start with the heavy stuff?" he says.

"Yes," I quip, "Now, answer the question."

It takes him a while to come up with a response.

"I actually haven't given it much thought," he replies. _Hmmm, I find that odd. He's practically a genius in school. I should know – I've seen his grades._

"Why is that?" I ask, "Don't most kids dream of being an adult?"

"Definitely something business related," he states, "Possibly mergers and acquisitions. That's what my grandfather does."

 _Huh? What now? Mergers and acquisitions? Sounds too complicated for me._

"Are you close to your grandfather?" I ask.

"Yeah," he replies, "I didn't always have a good relationship with my father. We're still not on the best terms. He's not a bad guy; we just don't get each other quite like my grandfather and me."

"What's his name?" I question.

"Theodore Trevelyan. He's my mom's dad. Best man I know," he replies.

Christian looks happy talking about his grandfather. His smile in on full display and my heart melts at the view.

I move onto the next question: "What was your best memory growing up?"

Christian's mood shifts from a happy one to a more serious one in seconds. He starts, "I didn't talk much as a kid. The Grey's adopted me when I was 4."

 _Adopted?! Wow, that thought never crossed my mind._

I let him continue, "Anyways, I didn't say a word until my parents brought Mia home. She was just a little baby and got me to open up. The first word I ever said with the Grey's was Mia."

 _What happened to this boy that caused those terrible circumstances? Why didn't he talk? Was he afraid? Did someone hurt him?_

I think about asking him those questions, but decide that would be best for another time. I don't want to sour the mood of this lovely date Christian planned.

We take turns asking each other question while we finish our meal.

After we finish our food Christian says, "Let me go get dessert from inside."

He comes back a minute later with two perfect creme brulees. _Those are my absolute favorites!_

He puts one down in front of me and sits back down.

I grab the spoon and immediately dig in.

I close my eyes in enjoyment and Christian comments, "You might want to slow down there."

I open my eyes back up and glare at him.

He softly chuckles at me and continues eating his.

After dessert Christian says, "Come on, I have another surprise for you."

He takes my hand in his and leads me to the other side of the boathouse where there are blankets laid out.

"This is my favorite spot to escape from everything. I thought we could lay down here. I mean, only if you want to," he starts to stammer.

I smile at his tentativeness and reply, "I'd love to."

I slip off my heels, and Christian and I lay on our backs. Christian set up the blanket in a little nook of the boathouse. There's a skylight that allows us to see the moon and stars.

"This is beautiful," I comment.

"Whenever I can't sleep, I come here," he says.

He has a look of pain on his eyes, so I nudge myself closer to him to comfort him.

I rest my head against the crook of his neck and look into his eyes. Christian is still staring intensely at the stars. I softly rest my hand on his cheek and pull his head towards mine.

Through his gaze, I sense such pain and torment for someone so young.

"Who hurt you?" I blurt out.

"It was a long time ago, Ana," he responds.

Understanding that he doesn't want to talk about it now, I say, "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to. I just want you to know that you can always talk to me. I'll always be here for you."

He gazes into my eyes for a while longer before he crashes his lips against mine.

Without breaking the kiss, he pulls me on top of him so that I'm straddling him. Instinctively, my hands latch onto his hair, and he rests his hands on my waist.

His lips taste sweet from the creme brulee, and his strong arms wrapped around me make me feel safe and cared for.

When we finally break the kiss needing air, he attaches his lips to my neck. He sucks on the nape of my neck, and I can't hold back the moans.

Christian's lips return to mine after we've gotten a chance to breathe, and I start to feel his erection poking me.

I boldly take the opportunity to grind on him, and Christian's deep, sexy moans are affecting me in very improper ways.

I can feel a surge of wetness on my panties and can feel desire build in my belly.

By now, I'm completely lost in sensation. Any thoughts of this being our first proper date and the fact that we've only known each other for a week are gone. I _want_ him. Badly.

We both take another breath of air and rest our foreheads against one another. Instinctively, I bite my lip as we stare into each other's eyes breathlessly.

"Don't bite your lip like that," he says sternly.

His eyes have shifted from grey to black, no doubt because of desire.

"It makes me want to do things to you," he finishes, "Things that we shouldn't be doing."

I look directly into his eyes and ask flirtatiously, "What kind of things?"

"Don't tempt me," he replies.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

This little minx has captured my heart. I want her so bad, but I know that now's not the time or place.

We haven't known each other for long. This is our first date. If we eventually go down that road, I want to make it special for her. She deserves hearts and flowers. She might not think she does, but I know she does.

She truly doesn't know how worthy and beautiful she is. She deserves the world, and I hope to give it to her someday.

As much as I want to have my wicked way with her right now, I have to let her know that sometimes having patience is better.

I can feel my dick throbbing in my pants, and it takes every ounce of courage in me to gently place Ana back on the blanket.

I softly kiss her cheek and whisper into her ear, "You're so beautiful."

She visibly shudders at my comment and blushes.

I attempt to fix her hair that got a little unruly while we were making out.

"This was the best first date ever Christian," she tells me.

"This was the only date I've been on," I tell her truthfully.

She looks somewhat stunned at my admission and replies, "Well, I'm glad it was me. I'm sure any other girl would kill for a date like this."

"No other girl is like you," I say definitively.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

After our insanely romantic and wonderful date, Christian took me back home.

I'm currently sitting by my fireplace thinking about all the events that transpired in the short period of two days.

I went from almost being raped to having the best date of my life.

Christian was truly my saving grace. He's so different from anyone I've met. Sometimes he can be so open and transparent, but at other times, he's an enigma. I think that's what draws me to him – aside from his looks.

Christian Grey has fully consumed my thoughts, affections, and dare I say my heart? I don't know if it's possible to fall in love with someone only after a week, but I think I do. I know that sounds insane, but the heart wants what it wants.

I start to yawn and head upstairs to get ready for bed.

I take off my dress first and notice that it smells like Christian from being so close to him all night.

I savor the smell and decide to text him.

 **A:** The date was perfect. Thank you. Xx

I don't get an immediate reply, so I place my phone on my nightstand and go into the bathroom to prepare for bed.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

The date with Ana went perfectly. Thanks to Mia, Ana seemed to love dinner in the boathouse.

After I took Ana home, I had to clean up everything in the boathouse.

I blew all the candles out and cleared the table. After that was done, I see a text from Ana.

 **A:** The date was perfect. Thank you. Xx

 **C:** You were the perfect date. Goodnight. Xx

I smile and run upstairs to my room.

I flop down on my bed and the realization of this weekend finally hits me.

Saving Ana from that asshole who tried to rape her. Our first kiss. Asking Ana out on a date. Going on said date. Kissing Ana again.

This weekend was a whirlwind of emotions – good and bad.

In the back of my mind, I'm thinking: _I'm in love with this girl._

* * *

 **A/N:** **I love reading all your reviews! I'll try to update in a few days.**


	5. The Fallout

**Chapter 5 - The Fallout**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I wake up thinking about Christian and our sweet memories from last night.

I check my phone to see a text from him.

 **C:** Good morning beautiful

My heart starts to thump in my chest and my smile is filled with joy.

 **A:** Good morning to you too

 **C:** What are you up to today

 **A:** Spa day with Kate

 **C:** Have fun xx

I put my phone back on the nightstand and flop back down on my bed. It seems like my whole life has changed in a week. I couldn't be happier.

* * *

Kate comes over to my house around 12, so we can go to the spa to have a girl's day. I'm planning on filling her in on everything that happened between Christian and me.

When she arrives, she crushes me with a bear hug.

"Ana! Tell me everything about your date. LIKE NOW!" she frantically shouts.

I laugh at her enthusiasm and reply, "Calm down Kate. I'll tell you everything, but let's go to the spa first."

"Ugh, fine," she capitulates.

We get in my car, and we're off to our favorite spa for facials, massages, mud baths, and time in a sauna.

"Okay, spill," Kate says while we're soaking in mud.

"The whole date was just a dream," I start, "He has a boathouse in his backyard, and he set the whole place up with flowers and candles." "It was like something from a rom-com," I gush.

"That's so sweet!" she exclaims. "Did you guys fuck?" she asks bluntly.

I fling a bit of mud at her and admonish, "Kate! Oh my god! Of course not! It was only our first date."

She giggles at me and flings more mud my way. "Did you guys at least kiss?" she asks.

I blush and measly reply, "Yes."

She shrieks and says, "You go girl!"

"I think I'm in love with him," I blurt out.

Kate looks absolutely stunned and all she can say is, "Excuse me what?"

I know she must think I'm crazy, but I needed to tell someone how I was feeling.

"I know it sounds crazy," I reason.

She cuts me off, "You think?"

"I know it's crazy," I repeat, "but we have an undeniable connection, Kate. We get along so well, and we can talk for hours." "I didn't tell you what happened on Friday, right?" I ask.

"No," Kate answers.

"Well," I start, "Colton was trying to rape me at the party. Christian saved me, and he took care of me. He made me feel safe again." Tears are starting to form in my eyes at my revelation.

"Oh, Ana!" Kate cries, "I'm so sorry. I had no idea!"

"It's not your fault, Kate," I say, "You were too drunk to notice anything. I also shouldn't have been drinking that much. I was practically asking for it."

"Don't you ever say that about yourself, Steele." Kate strikes, "Colton is a jackass. He'll pay."

"Kate," I warn, "Don't do anything that you'll regret."

"Don't worry, Banana," she says angrily, "No one ever fucks with my best friend." "Did Christian kick his ass?" she asks.

"I think so. Have you seen the size of his arms?" I ask trying to bring humor into this situation.

Kate and I both giggle.

She says more seriously, "But in all honesty, are you doing okay?"

"Yes, Kate. I'm perfectly fine. Christian came before anything sexual could happen," I reply candidly.

Kate senses that the topic needs to be dropped, so she shifts the conversation.

"So… Is Christian a good kisser?" she questions while wiggling her eyebrows.

I fling some more mud at her, which causes us to laugh even harder than before.

* * *

After we were done with the spa, Kate suggested we go shopping. _And who says no to shopping?_

Kate and I are currently at the Bravern in Bellevue, shopping to our heart's content.

We're browsing through Neiman Marcus when we stumble upon the lingerie section.

"Oh my God," Kate exclaims, "Let's get you some sexy lingerie for Christian!"

Embarrassed by Kate's outburst in public, I begrudgingly follow her to look at the lingerie.

She starts grabbing everything she can find and throws them into my arms.

"Let's go try these on," she insists.

One of the sales associates comes up to us and asks, "Can I get a dressing room started for you guys?"

Without asking me, Kate responds, "Yes, please," and hands the lady all of the things she picked up.

The first piece I try on is _very_ scandalous. It's a black lace teddy that barely covers my boobs.

"Do you look hot?" Kate screams at me from the other side of the fitting room door.

I do a 360 in the mirror, and I have to admit, I do look smoking hot!

The teddy accentuates my minimal curves in all the right ways, and I look like a wanton minx. I'm sure it will drive Christian crazy.

"I love this one Kate," I yell back at her.

* * *

I end up buying three bags full of new lingerie, much to Kate's amusement.

"My little virgin is all grown up now," she gushes.

I roll my eyes at her comment and she continues, "If you need any sexual advice, I'm your girl."

I laugh at her admission. Kate is definitely not bashful of her dalliances with countless men.

* * *

After our shopping excursion, Kate and I head back to my penthouse to watch Netflix and indulge in pizza.

"What do you want to watch?" I ask her.

"House of Cards," she states.

I turn on the TV in the living room and start the show.

"Can you order the pizza?" I ask her.

She obliges and calls for pizza delivery.

I grab two sprites from the fridge for us and place them on the coffee table. I then grab a cashmere blanket and plop on the couch.

A few minutes later, I hear a frantic shout from Kate in the kitchen: "ANA YOU NEED TO SEE THIS."

Extremely interested as to why Kate is in hysterics, I get up from the couch and walk over to Kate.

She hands her phone to me with an article pulled up, and I'm shellshocked by the headline.

" _Millionaire Heiress, Anastasia Steele Gets Wild"_

The headline is followed by a photo of me in my lingerie drinking and dancing on top of a table.

 _FUCK!_

"How long ago was this posted?" I ask Kate.

"Like just now," Kate replies.

Right on cue, I have an incoming call from my dad.

 _I'm in huge trouble!_

Kate mouths to me that she's going to go, knowing that I need to talk to my dad in privacy. I nod at her, as she leaves.

"Hey daddy," I answer the phone.

"Anastasia…" he sternly says.

"How are you, daddy?" I lay on the sweetness.

"Don't play that game with me, young lady," he states. "Please tell me why there are photos of you all over the Internet half naked."

"Daddy," I start.

"No, Anastasia," he cuts me off, "This is unacceptable."

"I'm so sorry, daddy," I try to apologize, "I made a mistake."

"You think?" he angrily says. "If I wasn't so swamped with work, I'd come back home to deal with it."

"That's not necessary dad," I reply.

"I know," he states with less anger in his voice, "But I better not be hearing of this type of behavior anymore, or we're going to have a problem. I mean what in God's name were you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking," I clarify, "I promise it won't ever happen again."

"It better not, Anastasia," he states, "If I hear about anything like this again, you're moving to D.C. with me."

"Okay, daddy," I submit, "I love you."

"I love you too, Annie," he says sympathetically.

I end the call and am so relieved that he wasn't any angrier.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

My parents are coming home today, so Mia and I are on our way to the airport to pick them up.

"Oh, Christian!" Mia exclaims while I'm driving on the highway.

"What is it?" I ask her.

"Ummm," she states unsure.

"What, Mia?" I repeat.

"Well," she begins, "there are some photos of Ana online."

"What kind of photos?" I ask curiously.

"Just some photos half naked at a party," she says really fast.

 _I can't fucking believe it! Whoever leaked those photos to the press is fucking dead!_ I feel my anger start to intensify and subsequently grip the steering wheel harder to release some of the tension.

"Christian?" Mia questions, obviously sensing my impending anger.

She's been lucky enough to witness first hand what happens when I get angry.

I don't respond and she tries to calm me, "Christian, it's not a big deal. I'm sure everyone will forget about this in a week or so."

We arrive at SEA-TAC and I head for the arrivals. I park the car and text my parents that we arrived.

I then text Ana to make sure she's doing okay with the photos that were leaked from the party.

 **C:** Hey. Are you OK?

 **A:** You saw the photos?

 **C:** Mia told me about them. I didn't see them myself. How are you?

 **A:** I'm fine, I guess. I got an angry call from my father, but what can you do?

 **C:** I'm sorry xx

 **A:** Not your fault

 **C:** I should've came earlier and saved you from drinking too much

In a twisted way, I feel responsible for not getting there earlier to take care of Ana. I feel like this was somehow my fault. An angel like Ana doesn't deserve to be embarrassed like that for everyone to see.

 **A:** Christian! Don't blame yourself. We've had this conversation already

 **C:** I'm still sorry

 **A:** I'll be okay

 **C:** xx Can I pick you up for school tomorrow?

 **A:** Of course. See you xx

After talking to Ana, I get a text from my mom, saying that she and dad just got their luggage and are heading outside.

I sit in the back of the Range Rover with Mia and wait for our parents to come.

A few minutes later, I see my parents walking through the door. I get up to help put the luggage in the trunk and dad drives home.

Being a mom, Grace asks Mia and me, "How was your weekend kids?"

"Good," I reply instinctively.

Mia excitedly says, "It was so good, mom. You'll never guess what happened!"

"What happened, Mia?" my mom asks, used to Mia's exuberance.

"Christian had a date!" Mia exclaims.

I glance at her. _Why the fuck would she tell our parents that?_

Grace looks astonished and turns back to look at me.

"Is that true, Christian?" she questions.

Dad looks equally as surprised, although he isn't vocal about it.

Begrudgingly, I reply, "Yes, mom."

I give Mia another glare, and she shrugs her shoulders.

"Who'd you go out with, dear?" Grace asks.

"Ana," I curtly reply, wanting to get this conversation over with.

"What do you guys do?" Grace inquires.

"Dinner," I say shortly.

Mia pipes in with her big mouth again: "Mom, it wasn't _just_ dinner. Christian went all out. He decorated the boathouse with candles and flowers and made me cook dinner for them. It was sooooo romantic."

"Mia," I complain and give her yet another glare.

Dad looks completely shocked and eyes me via the rearview mirror.

My mom is ecstatic and she exclaims, "That's so sweet, dear. Ana must have been pleased."

My dad pipes in and says, "Wow, son. You sure put a lot of effort in for one date."

I roll my eyes at both of my parents and stay silent.

Mia interjects, "Christian is sooo into Ana."

"Mia, stop," I tell her.

"Christian, stop yelling at your sister," mom declares.

Mia gives me a victorious look, and I give her another dirty look.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I'm kind of nervous for school tomorrow. I'm anxious to see Colton and worried that people are going to be talking about me. At least I'll have Christian by my side all day. No one will be able to hurt me when he's around.

 _The next day_

I wake up with a pit in my stomach – I have to go to school and face everyone. I'm praying that no one mentions the photos, but knowing the kids at my school, it's bound to be a hot topic.

Christian's picking me up this morning. I wonder if this is going to become an everyday thing because I'd like if it did.

I do my usual morning routine, make some breakfast, and wait for Christian to come.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Ana and I arrive at school, and I can sense how anxious she is to face everyone. I put my hands on hers in an effort to soothe her and she gives me a soft smile.

She looks very reluctant to get out of the car so I encourage her, "Everything's going to be fine. Stop worrying."

I give her a quick kiss on the cheek and we're off to our first class.

So far, on the way to our first class, everything seems normal. There are no whispers or side glances behind our backs, and it seems as if no one is talking about the weekend's events. That all changes when we step into our first class.

"Hey, Ana!" one boy shouts, "Wanna get wild again this weekend?"

The whole class erupts into laughter, and I immediately think to defend Ana.

Ana interjects before I can and retorts, "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize we had to get daddy to bail you out of jail again."

There are "oohs" and "ahhs" floating around the classroom, and the kid retreats into his seat, obviously embarrassed.

Ana looks triumphant and not to mention sexier than ever. She's a feisty little thing, and there's nothing hotter than a girl who can stand up for herself.

We sit down and I can tell that even though Ana has put up a strong front, she's crumbling on the inside. Deep down, I know she somewhat cares about her image and how others perceive her. While I, on the other hand, could not care less, Ana wants to be respected and liked by her peers.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I can't believe that fucker had the audacity to taunt me in front of the whole class. If he thinks he can get away with that, he's an idiot.

Our next class is English Lit, which is usually one of my favorite classes, but it's definitely not going to be today. Colton is in the class, and I really don't want to face him.

I also don't know how Christian will react if I tell him who tried to rape me. My guess is that punches might be thrown, and I don't want to get Christian in trouble. Also, Christian might kill Colton. I mean, Christian is very muscular and while Colton is toned and fit, Christian makes him look small.

Christian and I are a bit early, so we walk into an empty classroom and take our usual seats. Colton walks in a few moments later fully sporting a black eye and what looks like a broken nose. _Shit! Did Christian do that to him?!_

Colton spots me and makes a beeline my way.

Christian has no doubt connected the dots and realized that Colton was the guy.

"Ana," Colton starts.

Christian interjects and threatens, "If you go anywhere near her, I'll give you another black eye."

Colton looks very intimidated and pleads his case, "I'm sorry bro. I just need to talk to Ana."

"You're lucky she isn't pressing charges," Christian spits out.

Colton is thrown aback and by this time, more and more students are entering the classroom, cutting our private conversation short.

Colton looks defeated and goes back to his seat.

The teacher enters the room and starts the class for today. We're reading _Romeo & Juliet_, one of my favorite Shakespeare plays, and for 45 minutes, I get lost in the classic tale filled with romance and tragedy.

After class is over, Christian and I are ambushed by Colton yet again.

"Ana," Colton pleads, "Will you please let me explain and apologize."

"I really don't want to talk about it Colton," I reply.

Colton continues, "I'm sorry, Ana. I was so drunk, and I was upset that you rejected me so many times. I really don't know what came over me. I'm so sorry, and I can't say it enough."

"Sorry doesn't cut it," Christian says with animosity laced through his voice.

"Ana," he pleads again, "You know me. You know that's usually not who I am. Please, I'm begging you. You don't have to forgive me now or ever. I just want you to know that I regret everything that happened, and I'm so so so sorry."

Christian gives him a death glare and Colton takes that as his cue to leave us alone.

I feel so helpless again. On one hand, Colton's actions were monstrous and unforgivable. On the other hand, I've known Colton for 3 years now, and he's never come off as aggressive or violent to me. He seemed truly sorry, but at the same time, he almost raped me! _Gah!_ I know I can't ever fully forgive him, but maybe I can be indifferent?

I can feel tears forming in my eyes and Christian crushes me into a hug.

"It's going to be alright, baby," he whispers into my ear. And for a moment, I want to believe him.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I cannot believe that asshole thinks he can just come apologize to Ana and that she'll forgive him! I mean what the fuck is this guy's logic?! You don't just almost rape someone and apologize the next day! _Un-fucking-believable!_

Throughout the day, I can tell that Ana isn't acting like herself. Thank God Ana stood up for herself this morning because no one is mentioning the half-naked photos out of fear of Ana's wrath.

I'm so in awe of this woman – she's so strong and beautiful. All I want for her is happiness and love. _And, God, I fucking love her._

 _Christ!_ I haven't even asked her to be my girlfriend yet, and I'm already talking about love. _Fuck Grey!_ If you ever say that out loud, Ana might think you're certifiably insane.

Nevertheless, I know how I feel about her, and I can only hope that she'll feel the same way someday down the road.

I'm now supposed to drop Ana off at home, but instead, to cheer her up, I'm going to take her to the pumpkin patch.

I know it sounds like a childish activity, but I think it will bring a smile on her face, and that's all I want to see today.

"I think you made a wrong turn Christian," Ana says when she realizes we're not on the normal route to her building.

"I know," I reply.

"Where are we going?" she asks.

"It's a surprise. Hopefully, it'll put a smile back on that gorgeous face," I reply.

"You love surprises, don't you?" she poses.

"I only love surprising you," I genuinely reply.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I love that Christian is trying to cheer me up from my terrible day at school. He's truly one of the kindest and most caring people, yet he doesn't see it.

Christian starts driving up a winding dirt road, and it seems a little familiar to me. It seems like a place I used to go as a kid, but I can't quite put my finger on it.

Christian continues to drive down the road, and I realize I know exactly where we are. My dad used to take me here as a kid to pick out pumpkins to carve. It was our little daddy-daughter fall tradition. I really do miss him.

Christian and I get out of the car, and I rush over to him to give him a big hug. Oddly, he flinches at first but reciprocates.

"It's just the pumpkin patch, Ana," he jokes.

"I know," I retort, "But it's the thought that counts." "I used to come here with my dad all the time," I recount.

"My parents used to take me, Elliot, and Mia here too. That tradition stopped when Mia kept complaining that her shoes were getting dirty," he says.

"That sounds like Mia," I laugh.

"Undoubtedly so," he agrees.

We walk side by side to where all the pumpkins are, and I go over to where all the small dainty ones are. Christian, on the other hand, motions to where the fat deformed pumpkins are.

"Let's get a huge one," he proposed, "Mom and dad would never let us get these before."

I laugh at his childishness and reply, "Christian! No! The big ones are so hard to carve. We can make cute faces with the baby ones."

"Aren't they supposed to be scary?" he asks.

"Not if I say they don't," I retort. "Also, I'm not sure that pumpkin will fit in your sports car."

"Point well taken," he replies.

"Oh!" I exclaim, "We can make pumpkin pie!"

"Ummm, Ana," Christian says, "I'm not sure if you've seen me in the kitchen. But cooking – not my thing."

"Oh hush," I reply, "You can help me. I promise I'll keep the knives away from you."

"Probably for the best," he admits.

We end up getting four perfect, normal sized pumpkins – two for pie and two for carving. Christian loads them into the back of the car along with all the carving tools we just purchased, and we're on our way to my apartment.

When we arrive, Christian and I have to lug our pumpkins all the way up to the penthouse floors! _God damn, are those things heavy!_

We place the pumpkins on the dining room table and I state, "You take the guts out of two pumpkins and I'll get the other two cooked for the pie filling."

"Yes ma'am," he replies, and I giggle at his tone.

I clean up the pumpkins a little and put them in the oven so that I can make the pie filling later. I go back into the dining room and see Christian struggling with pumpkin guts.

I immediately laugh and he cries, "This is really gross, Ana. My mom always did this part."

"Man up Grey," I giggle, "They're just seeds."

With my help, Christian is finally able to gut the pumpkins. I can't believe someone as big as him is scared of a little pumpkin goo. It's funny – comical even.

I dump the pumpkin guts in the trash and grab the knives to carve out our pumpkin faces.

Christian immediately starts carving out his face, while I take the time to outline my face with a sharpie. Clearly two very different approaches here.

"Fuck, this is harder than I thought," Christian complains while looking at his pumpkin's deformed eyes.

I giggle at him and show him mine - two perfect triangular shaped eyes.

I finish carving out the rest of my face, and Christian attempts to fix his disaster.

By the end, I have a cute looking pumpkin and Christian has a very interesting one, to say the least.

I grab two candles and place them inside the pumpkins, so I can light them later.

"Ready to make the pumpkin pie?" I ask Christian.

He shrugs and replies, "If this ends up a disaster, I warned you about my lack of cooking skills in advance."

He follows me into the kitchen and I assign him the task of measuring out flour, sugar, butter, and salt for the pastry.

I put all the necessary spices in the pumpkin mix for the filling then check on Christian to discover that he's covered in flour.

"Would you like an apron?" I tease.

"Haha, very funny, Ana," he says.

It's a miracle we're able to put the pie into the oven with Christian as my sous chef.

While the pie is in the oven, I decide we need whipped cream to go with it.

I make Christian whip the cream because he's so strong.

"Ana, my arm's tired," he whines.

"Oh my gosh!" I exclaim while taking the bowl from him and finishing the job, "You're so lazy."

He surprises me by taking some whipped cream and smearing it all over my lips.

"Oops," he says, "looks like we need to clean you up."

His lips meet mine, wiping off the whipped cream.

When we break the kiss I reply, "I think I'm all clean now."

"I don't think so," he quips and lifts me up so I'm sitting on the counter.

With our drastic height difference, Christian can still reach my lips and pulls me into another kiss.

His lips taste sweet, definitely from the whipped cream, and I can't get enough.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I think kissing Ana has become my new favorite pastime. Her lips are always soft and sweet, and she always smells so good – a mixture of rose and vanilla.

We're now cuddling on her couch, eating delicious pumpkin pie (that I actually helped make), and watching Christmas movies. It's the middle of September, but hey, Ana was in the Christmas spirit.

I'm still a bit confused as to why I'm okay with Ana's touch. For some reason, her touch doesn't bring back those terrible memories. When she touches me, I just feel warmth and love. I don't associate her touch with the cigarette burns.

This girl truly captivates me in every way possible, but with my fucked up past, I know I don't deserve her. Even though I don't deserve her, I want her. And I'll be selfish every single day for her because she means that much to me.


	6. Bonus Ch 1: Boyfriend & Girlfriend?

**A/N** : I thought I'd give you guys a little bonus chapter. It's much shorter than a normal chapter, but I thought this was a cute little Christian and Ana moment, and I wanted to share it with you guys! I hope you enjoy!

* * *

 **Bonus Chapter 1 - Boyfriend & Girlfriend?**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian and I have been "hanging out" all week. There's been lots of kissing and touching, but I'm not sure where we stand in terms of a relationship.

I mean, does he assume we're boyfriend and girlfriend? Does he not want me to be his girlfriend? Maybe he's just not into labeling things. I don't doubt he's into me, but how into me is he?

Kate tells me I need to stop second guessing myself. She says that all guys are stupid and unaware. She thinks Christian doesn't even think about "making it official" as they would call it because he already considers our relationship official.

 _Ugh, why are boys so stupid?!_ Why can't Christian just man up and straight up ask me to be his girlfriend?

Wait, this is the 21st century, Ana! You ask him! You don't need a man to dictate things in your life. If you want something, you go get it for yourself!

Today's Friday, which means there's a football game tonight that I have to cheer at. Christian doesn't seem like one to willingly watch high school football, but he'll probably just come to watch me dance in a short skirt.

We can hang out after the game and that's when I'll bring up the boyfriend-girlfriend topic. _Gosh, Ana! What a perfect plan!_

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

When I wake up this morning, I have a text from Ana.

 **A:** Football game tonight? I'll be cheering ;)

 _Fuck! Ana in a short skirt! I think yes!_

 **C:** I'll be there xx

I've been picking up Ana from school all week. It's sort of become routine for us. School has been relatively good all week considering the shit storm on Monday.

No one else brought up the photos of Ana, and Colton hasn't cornered Ana again to give her a half-assed apology. I really wish Ana would've pressed charges against him, but I understand why she didn't.

She didn't want to turn herself into a victim or a spectacle. And while I really want to see Colton punished, it would bring much undue stress on Ana, which I want to avoid at all costs.

Anyways, this whole week has been great. Ana and I have been hanging out every day after school. We've been having so much fun together, even when she makes me help her with math. Ana always bites her lip when she's concentrating. It's so cute and sexy at the same time. I don't know if I want to hug or kiss her.

Right now, we don't have any labels on our relationship, but I would consider her my girlfriend. I mean, I hope she already considers her my boyfriend.

I think the reason I haven't asked her officially yet is because I'm afraid of rejection. I know it's an irrational fear, but I guess those demons from your past never go away.

* * *

When I pick up Ana from her apartment, she's wearing her cheer outfit, and fuck me, she looks smoking hot!

I get out of the car to help her with her stuff and whisper into her ear, "You look so sexy."

She shudders at my words and pulls me into a kiss. _Quite a way to start of the morning!_

When we pull apart she smiles shyly and bites her lip. _Fuck, she needs to stop doing that or else I'm going to have a hard-on in public!_

She obviously knows the effect that has on me and smiles seductively.

"Get in the car," I demand while opening the door for her.

"Well, aren't we bossy today, Mr. Grey?" she teases, getting into the car.

I hop into the driver's seat and reply, "You know what that does to me."

"What do you mean?" she asks innocently.

I tuck a piece of hair behind her ear and whisper against her, "Don't tease me like that, Anastasia."

We drive to school in complete silence, which is different for us. I can't remember a time we weren't chatting away with one another. There was so much sexual tension in the air, which probably contributed to our lack of conversation.

The school day is filled with much of the same. There's an insane amount of flirting, and the sexual tension continues to build up.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

 _Is it hot in here or something?!_

Christian keeps flirting with me, and I'd be lying if I said it wasn't affecting me. There's definitely unfulfilled sexual tension between the two of us. I felt my panties getting increasingly wet all throughout school today. I had an itch I couldn't scratch – only Christian could.

Anyways, after school the cheer team had to get ready for tonight's game, so Christian went home, not wanting to wait around school until the game started.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

So, Ana invited me to come to the first football game tonight, and I really debated whether or not I wanted to go.

On one hand, I don't want to fucking watch high school football and be around people I despise. But on the other hand, Ana will be wearing a very short skirt, and that would be quite a show.

I think suffering through a couple hours of high school football will be worth it if I get to see Ana dancing in that cheer uniform.

Her legs are so long and fucking perfect, I want them wrapped around me while I pound into her. _Fuck Grey! Stop thinking about sex!_ For goodness sake, you can't even ask her to be your girlfriend!

You know what, maybe I should just grow some balls and fucking ask her. I mean, what have I got to lose except my dignity, pride, and all of that?

* * *

The bleachers are full of laughter, cheers, chants, and chatter in anticipation of the kickoff. I spot Colton on the sidelines, and immediately want to bash his head in. But that can wait for another time.

Everyone is all dressed up in school-spirited clothes and colors, a sea of blue and gold. I stick out like a sore thumb, as I'm the only one who dared to break the unwritten "dress code." I'm wearing all black: black jeans, a dark grey t-shirt, and my black leather jacket.

I spot Ana moments later. I see her at the 10-yard line and her eyes scan the crowd for me. She finds me almost instantly, as I'm the only one in black, and I wink at her. She smiles brightly and waves at me.

All throughout the game, I was so focused on what Ana was doing. I think our team scored a touchdown at some point, but I was so intent on Ana, nothing else registered in my brain.

After the game was over, I made a beeline for Ana. I think the team won, but that's totally irrelevant right now.

"You were amazing tonight," I whisper against her ear, nibbling on her ear lobe.

"Oh, so you weren't watching the game?" she teases. She wraps her arms around my neck and gives me a chaste kiss.

"You were much more entertaining," I flirt back while picking her up.

She squeals at the sudden movement and wraps her legs around me. Imagine how this position would feel while I'm thrusting into her. _Shit, Grey! Really? Again?_

"Want to get out of here?" she asks while biting her lip. _Fuck! Now she's just teasing me._ She knows what that does to me.

I graze my thumb over her lip and murmur, "My house?"

She nods her head, and I put her back on the ground so we can walk to my car.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

With sexual tension still heavy in the air, Christian and I head straight for his boathouse where we can be alone, away from his parents and his sister.

With our lips locked together, he gently pushes me against a wall and sneaks his hand under the hemline of my skirt.

I breathlessly moan against his lips and move my hands to his shoulders to remove his jacket. I want to feel more of his skin against mine.

He throws his jacket somewhere on the floor and claws at my back to remove my cheer uniform. With his nimble fingers, he's able to unzip my top and immediately attaches his lips to my collarbone, one of his favorite places to assault on my body.

Cheekily, I move my hands lower down his body and squeeze his tight butt. He moans into my chest, sending vibrations against my body. He retaliates by toying with the clasp of my bra, and suddenly I feel a pang of nervousness. No one has ever seen my bare chest before, and I know where this is going.

I carefully nudge him away and attempt to get his attention, "Christian, Christian, wait…"

He removes his lips from my chest and gazes intensely into my eyes waiting for me to go on.

"We can't," I reply alluding to sex.

He huffs in reply and nuzzles his head against my neck.

"What are we doing Christian?" I ask.

"What do you mean?" he questions. He stands up straight and pulls me closer to him. He tucks a stray piece of hair behind my ear and pulls my chin up to meet his striking glaze.

"Our relationship, Christian," I manage to speak, so nervous for his response. Instinctively, I shift my eyes downward and start to babble, "I mean, what are we doing. Is this a serious relationship for you because it is for me. I don't want to be some fling or some conquest for you."

"Ana, Ana, baby," he says softly, stopping me from continuing to embarrass myself. He grins devilishly and the most beautiful sentence comes out of his mouth: "Will you be my girlfriend?"


	7. Thanksgiving, I Love You

**Chapter 6 - Thanksgiving, I Love You**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian and I have formally been dating for almost two months now. And I know what you're all thinking. How's the sex?

Well, truth be told, we haven't had sex yet. I know, I know, what the hell am I waiting for?! I don't know exactly, but I know I want to wait a bit longer.

Trust me; there's been more than one occasion where both of us almost lost our control. I mean, with someone looking like Christian, it's very hard to resist.

I think my reasoning for waiting to have sex stems from my mother's issues with men. She threw herself at countless men and look how that turned out for her. I don't want to be anything like her. She's on husband number four, and it doesn't look like she's slowing down anytime soon.

Christian has been so amazing about my decision to wait too. From what Kate tells me and from what I hear from other girls at school, all guys are sex crazy. If you're not willing to give it to them, they'll lose interest. But not my Christian.

I know he must be going insane, but he has never once shown annoyance or anger at my wanting to wait to have sex. He's so understanding of my choice and has told me repeatedly that he wants to wait until I'm ready and 100% sure.

By now, I'm certain that I love him. Aside from my father, he's the guy I trust the most in my life. I really can't wait to tell him that I'm in love with him. Call me old-fashioned, but I want him to be the one to say it first. I mentally chastise myself over my traditionalist views, but what girl doesn't want to hear her man say that first? Because I sure as hell do.

Anyways, it's almost time for Thanksgiving, and the Grey's have invited me over to their house for Thanksgiving dinner.

Ray was supposed to come home for Thanksgiving, but something in D.C. has caught his attention – some national security crisis apparently.

He was absolutely devastated that he couldn't make it to Seattle for Thanksgiving, and apologized profusely for missing one of our favorite holidays.

While I was a little upset, I couldn't hold it against him. I knew what taking that job would entail. Sometimes there are emergencies that require his full attention, and he can't escape from work for hours, let alone days to come see me. My dad is doing a job that he loves, so I can't be upset at him for missing Thanksgiving. And he promised me that he would be home for Christmas, so I'm looking forward to that.

Oh, I forgot to mention everything that happened at school!

By now, everyone knows that Christian and I are exclusive. Christian still hasn't made any guy friends, and I'm pretty much the only one he willingly converses with at school. While I revel in his constant company, I know it's quite odd that Christian is so closed off with everyone else.

If I didn't know him, I would think he's socially awkward. But the thing is he's not. He's so engaging with me, and I am genuinely baffled as to why he seems not to want to make other friends.

I guess that means more time with Christian for me. I'm certainly not complaining about that. I'm just a little concerned. I think he needs some male friends.

Moving on, I have noticed a few quirks and a few odd things about Christian and his demeanor, which I'm assuming stem from some of his issues from the past.

I recall the night Christian finally opened up to me about his life and his childhood.

It was just another normal Friday night. Typical of Seattle weather, it was pouring rain, and it was a dark, gloomy night. It was only a few weeks into our official relationship, and Christian and I were having a cozy night in, which fit with the weather. We were snuggled on the couch in my apartment watching movies, eating junk food, and drinking hot chocolate. We were so lighthearted and were enjoying each other's company. Little did we know, that night would become a pivotal moment in our relationship.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Christian and I are watching a movie he picked out, much to my indignation. He argued it was only fair since I picked the movie last time, so being a good girlfriend, I let him have his way._

 _He's now making me sit through two hours of Top Gun. And while I admit a young Tom Cruise is quite dashing, it's definitely not making my list of all time favorite movies. But Christian seems to be enjoying it, so that's all that matters to me._

 _I feel myself start to get drowsy as I'm uninterested in the film. I tell myself I'm going to close my eyes for a few minutes, but fall into a deep sleep instead, wrapped like a vine around Christian._

 _When I wake up, it's pitch dark. The TV has been shut off, and Christian is sleeping soundly next to me. I'm still wearing my clothes from tonight, and it's quite uncomfortable to sleep in._

 _I carefully untwine myself from Christian's tight grip and quietly run upstairs to change into some pajamas._

 _I find a pair of white silk pajamas and put them on. I get distracted organizing clothes in my closet when I hear a loud scream coming from downstairs. Is that Christian? It can't be, right? I must be hearing things, so I ignore it and continue fiddling around with my clothes and shoes._

 _A few minutes later I think I hear some moans and groans and what sounds like a plea for help. I then hear another earth-shattering scream, and I'm now certain I'm not hearing things._

 _I immediately run downstairs to check on Christian. I see him thrashing about on the couch and screaming, "Mommy, please help me. It hurts."_

 _I'm so shocked at the scene before me that I'm frozen in place. I'm absolutely stunned, and I have no idea what to do. Is this a common occurrence for Christian to have nightmares like this or is this a one-off?_

 _I know I need to do something to bring him out of his misery. I bolt over to the couch and try to shake his shoulder to wake him up. That doesn't work, and he continues to flail around on the couch and keeps screaming for help._

 _I try shaking him harder, but that still doesn't bring him out of his dream. His body is still violently moving, so maybe if I subdue his movements that will help him wake up._

 _I get on the couch and climb on top of him to restrict his body's movements. That was a terrible idea because he's so much bigger and stronger than me that my weight doesn't help._

 _I then resort to the only other thing I can think of. I grab the sides of his face to hold him still and kiss him._

 _I think it's working as I can feel his body start to calm down. "Christian," I state tenderly, "It's me. You're safe."_

 _He slowly opens his eyes, and there's a mixture of fear, shock, and terror on his face. I immediately envelop him into my arms, and he crumbles into me. He looks defeated and terrified._

 _I pull him up to a sitting position on the couch, and he rests his head against my chest. I see a single tear run down his cheek and I quickly wipe it away with my sleeve. I know he must be trying really hard to not cry in front of me. I stroke his hair methodically, and when an ample amount of time has passed, I give him a quick kiss on the cheek, just to let him know that I'm here for him._

 _As much as I want to question him about what just happened, I know that it's best to let him be the first one to talk._

 _I softly whisper, "You can tell me anything, you know. I won't judge you. I promise."_

 _He looks into my eyes, debating whether or not he should explain. His eyes shift away from mine, and he stares blankly in front of him. He nuzzles his head further into the crevice of my neck, and I continue to gently stroke his unruly hair._

 _It takes what seems like hours for Christian to finally get the courage to say something._

" _I was adopted when I was four," he states with a tremor in his voice._

" _I, I, I," he struggles to continue. I can't even fathom what could've happened to this boy. I love him so much, and seeing him in this much pain hurts me as well._

 _I grab his hand hoping it will help him tell his story. With a shaky voice he continues, "My birth mom, she wasn't a good mom."_

 _Another tear rolls down his cheek, and I can feel the tears in my eyes start to form as well. It's then I realize how fragile Christian is emotionally. I want to keep him in my arms and hold him there forever so no one can hurt him._

" _I was abused as a kid," he somberly states. I'm dying to ask more questions like who and how but I know that I shouldn't pry further. I should take everything he decides to tell me with immense gratitude that he is even sharing this with me._

" _Th, Th, The" he stutters, "The nightmares… they, they're always of those memories."_

 _He looks ashamed, as somehow this was his fault when it absolutely wasn't._

 _The only thing I manage to mumble is, "I'm so sorry, Christian."_

 _With a shaky voice, he says, "I, I think I was sleeping just fine, but something changed. Did, did you leave me?" His eyes scan mine, searching for an answer._

 _I nod my head and reply, "I just went to go change into some pajamas."_

" _Promise me you'll never leave me again," he cries and buries himself in my embrace._

" _I promise, Christian," I reply, silently vowing to always stay by his side, no matter what life throws our way._

 _End Flashback_

* * *

I know Christian still has so many demons buried deep in his soul that he hasn't told me yet. And I'm okay with that. I know he has trouble opening up to people and am so lucky that he trusts me enough to tell me some of these things. It truly means the world to me, and I hope he knows that.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Today's Thanksgiving week, so that means no school. _Fuck yeah!_

These past two months with Ana have been the absolute best. I can't remember a time when I smiled or laughed as much as I do now. Ana has completely changed me and my outlook on life for the better. She's an angel, and I owe her so much.

At times she's had to be strong enough for the both of us, like on that fateful night when I revealed some of my past to her.

After that night, I've been reluctant to share any more details about my early childhood. It's not that I don't trust her, I just want to protect and shield her from my fucked up stuff. She's too good to hear some of the horrible shit I've gone through, and I don't want to cause her any pain.

I still haven't told her about the haphephobia, the drug-loving mother, or the pimp and his cigarettes. I know I'll probably end up telling her the really dark shit someday, but for now, I don't want to bother her with that crap. All I want is to see her laugh and smile every day, and so far, I've succeeded in my goal.

Anyways, I think that's enough about how I'm fifty shades of fucked up. We already knew that.

My parents invited Ana over for Thanksgiving dinner, which frankly, I was surprised with. For Grace, Thanksgiving has only ever been for family. Thanksgiving at the Grey house has always been a grand affair. Mom always goes all out with the food and decorations. Grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins are invited to our house every Thanksgiving, so Ana will get a chance to meet some of my extended family.

Ana's dad was originally supposed to come back home for Thanksgiving. I know Ana was disappointed when her dad broke the bad news, but she didn't show it. When Grace found out that Ana had nowhere to go for Thanksgiving, she jumped at the opportunity to invite her to spend it with us.

Now my mother will not stop pestering me about what Ana's preferences are about literally everything. I can really appreciate how much my mother cares about my girlfriend, though. I know she means well and is just trying to make Ana feel comfortable and at home around my family.

Dating Ana for two months now has solidified the fact that I'm in love with her. I know we're young, but somewhere deep down in my heart, I know I'm going to marry her. Call me crazy. Call me stupid. I don't care. I'm in love with Anastasia Steele.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian and I are perusing through the grocery store, looking for ingredients for apple pie. Even though Christian insists I don't need to bring anything, I don't want to show up to the Grey's Thanksgiving extravaganza empty-handed.

Christian looks very out of his element at the grocery store, as he's obviously not a frequent visitor.

"What are we looking for, Ana?" he asks.

"What do you think we need for apple pie?" I tease.

"Yeah, but there are like ten different kinds of apples here," he says with a worried tone. "How do you know which ones you need. Also, why are there so many different kinds of apples?"

I giggle at his concern for the many varieties of apples and place my hand on his arm to get him to settle down.

"It's not funny, Ana," he whines, "That was a serious question."

I roll my eyes at him and put five Granny Smith apples in a bag.

"You know my mom really doesn't expect you to bring anything," he states, "Mia and my mom have already started preparing the food."

"I know," I retort, "But I'm a guest. And I really want to do this."

"Okay, baby," he says, pulling me into his arms and giving me a kiss on the cheek, "Whatever you want."

With a glimmer in my eyes, I ask, "You're going to help me though, right?"

He gives me a crooked grin and laughs. _If you think you're getting out of this one Grey, you're sorely mistaken!_

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Today's the day before Thanksgiving, and my mother is frantically running all over the house preparing for the actual day.

I was supposed to hang out with Ana today, but my mother is making me help with the prep. I hate to sound like a spoiled kid, but why doesn't she hire people to help her?

I know the answer to that one though. Grace wants holidays to be a family affair, and she wants all of us to pitch in and help.

So now instead of being with Ana, I'm stuck picking up my aunt, uncle, and two very annoying cousins from the airport.

Ana said it was no problem that I would be busy today and told me about having a "Friendsgiving" with Kate and some other friends from school.

Anyways, my mother is making me pick up her brother and his family from the airport. They're from Los Angeles. There's Uncle Charlie, his very fake and plastic surgery loving wife: Aunt Jessica, and my cousins: Mackenzie and Addison. They're identical twins and are Mia's age, but definitely way more annoying and are complete brats. I really don't know why my mother invites them every year; they only cause the whole family headaches.

Elliot can't make it this year. Something about a football commitment at Yale. Whatever.

Moving on, my dad's younger sister, Maria, and her husband Josh are also coming along with their three kids: Brandon, Emma, and Alexis who are 14, 11, and 9 respectively. My dad's older sister, Cecilia and her husband Jake are coming too and don't have any kids. Both of my dad's siblings live in the Seattle area, so they'll be driving to our house tomorrow.

My grandparents on my mom's side are also coming. Grandpa Theo and I have always had a very close relationship and ever since I've been going out with Ana, I haven't been talking to him much, which is definitely something that needs to change. I mentally remind myself to start calling him weekly.

Ana confided in me about being intimidated to meet my large family. She grew up as an only child and isn't accustomed to these huge family holidays. I know everyone's going to love her, though. How can they not?!

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I'm super nervous and excited about going to Christian's tomorrow morning. He said a bunch of his cousins, aunts, and uncles are coming and I want to make a good impression. Also, I come from a very small family. The sheer size of Christian's family intimidates me. Being around that many personalities is going to be a big adjustment for me, but nevertheless, I'm really looking forward to meeting all of Christian's extended family.

Kate and I are hosting a "Friendsgiving" at my apartment tonight. It's a yearly girls tradition that we do to share our appreciation and love for all our friends.

Kate and I are finishing up decorating the apartment. We laid out baby pumpkins of all different hues and placed bouquets of fall flowers around the dining room, kitchen, and living room. We additionally hung some wreaths and added cute little Thanksgiving themed knick-knacks around the place.

Kate and I are currently setting the table, with my special Thanksgiving china. There's a beautiful cornucopia centerpiece filled with some more mini pumpkins and decorative leaves sprinkled across the table.

The food is almost all done. The mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing, candied yams, cranberry sauce, green beans, and biscuits are all ready to eat. The only thing we're waiting on is the enormous turkey in the oven, which needs about 30 more minutes to cook.

There's also an apple pie and pumpkin pie ready to go in the oven once the meal starts, so it will be nice and hot when we do get around to eating it.

 _Did I mention I absolutely love Thanksgiving? Because I really do._ I get so excited about the food and decorating. I live for it. It makes me dream about having a family one day to share this with.

I hear my phone ring on the granite countertop and see that it's a text from Christian.

 **C:** My family is crazy. Wish you were here xx

 **A:** Miss you too baby. I'm sure your family isn't that bad.

 **C:** They are Ana. Trust me on this one

 **A:** I'll see you tomorrow. Try enjoying the time with your family.

 **C:** laters baby xx

The ubiquitous smile I have when Christian texts me is present on my face.

"What's Christian up to?" Kate asks from across the room, knowing I was just talking to him based off my facial expression.

"He's with his family. I think his aunts and uncles are coming," I reply.

"Nervous to be thrown in the ringer tomorrow, Ana?" Kate inquires, referring to my invite to Christian's family Thanksgiving.

"I'd be lying if I said no," I bite the inside of my lip nervously.

"Don't be, Steele," she says assuredly, "You'll charm their pants off, just like you do to Christian."

I smack her for her distasteful joke, and we both burst out into laughter seconds later. _I have to admit that joke was stupidly funny._

Emily texts us saying that she just got here, so I have to call the doorman to let her up.

The elevator dings her arrival a few minutes later, and she greets us, "Hey girlies."

She spots the food on the kitchen counter and immediately goes over there to pick at the food. And it's not like I'm going to stop her.

"Mmmm, Ana," she moans while eating a spoonful of the mashed potatoes, "I'm going to eat this whole thing if you don't stop me."

Kate pipes in, "Hey, I could've made that too. Why do you always assume it's Ana."

Emily at I look at each other and grin. We both know that there's no way Kate could make something even remotely edible.

We break out into giggles and Kate joins realizing how preposterous her statement really was.

This is already shaping up to be a great Friendsgiving.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I just got back from the airport with my uncle and his irritating family. They're staying at our house for the week, and I really need to get out of this place. Jessica is so fucking rude, walking around my god damn house like she owns the place. Also, her fucking daughters are so annoying. Think Mia on steroids. I can't take their incessant giggling and their valley girl accent. Learn how to fucking speak English like a normal person! _Gah!_

I really want to leave and crash Ana's party, but my mother is not having it. Apparently, I have to "entertain" our guests, but what the fuck does that entail? I have no fucking idea!

I text Ana, hoping she can save me from my family, but she says I need to spend time with them! _Ugh!_ I don't want to spend time with them. I want to spend time with Ana, preferably on top of her, making her moan and gasp!

"Chrissy," Mia yells from the kitchen. _Not that name again!_ Especially in front of Mackenzie and Addison. They're going to start calling me that now! _Gah!_

"What Mia," I shout back from the couch.

"Can you take me, Mackenzie, and Addison to the mall?" she calls even louder.

 _Seriously?_ "Isn't that what Black Friday is for, Mia?" I say exasperated at this conversation.

Mia and my cousins walk into the living room, and Mia starts hitting me, trying to coax me off my position on the couch. "It's never not a good time for shopping, Chrissy!" Mackenzie squeals.

Mia and Addison both nod in agreement. "If you don't take us, I'm going to tell mom. And she's going to make you," Mia states sassily, crossing her arms.

 _This is going to be a long day!_

* * *

When we get to the mall, I'm insistent that I'll stay in the car and pick them up when they're done. But Mia, Addison, and Mackenzie are having none of that.

"You have to come with us, Chrissy," Mia whines.

"We need someone to carry our bags," Addison chirps.

"Yeah," Mackenzie agrees.

Okay, I'm really being coerced by three teenage girls. _Does life get any worse than this?_

My phone dings in my pocket and it's an adorable photo from Ana of her and a delicious looking pie. _Fuck me!_

 **C:** That's a very low cut dress ;)

She replies instantly.

 **A:** naughty xx

 _Fuck, Grey! Don't get a hard-on in front of your sister and cousins!_ The things that girl does to me, fuck I love her.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Friendsgiving was definitely a success. We all ate to our heart's content and ate even more for dessert. The wine seemed bottomless, and I'm definitely a bit tipsy right now.

All the girls left my apartment already, so I'm all alone.

I don't know if it's the alcohol, but something possesses me to send another photo to Christian.

I put on a black silk slip with white lace on the bodice from La Perla. I stand in front of the mirror in a seductive yet innocent pose and send it to Christian.

 _Haha. I hope he likes it!_

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I'm sitting quietly having a family dinner when I get another text from Ana. I almost choke on my food at the image that appears on my screen.

 _Fuck, the things that girl does to me! I really want to bolt from this table, drive to her apartment, and fuck her into oblivion._

Grace gives me a side eye for daring to go on my phone during a meal.

"Oooooh," Mia teases, "Is Christian talking to his girlfriend?"

Uncle Charlie pipes in, "A girlfriend Christian?" He raises his eyebrows in my direction, incredulous to the fact. _Why is my whole family surprised that I have a girlfriend? Was I that anti-social?_

"Yeah," I reply nonchalantly, "She's coming over for Thanksgiving tomorrow."

"What about her family?" Jessica asks rudely.

I resist the urge to roll my eyes at her and reply proudly, "Her dad works for the president. There was an emergency, and he couldn't make it back home."

"What's her name?" Uncle Charlie asks.

"Anastasia Steele," I reply, a smile forming on my lips from thinking about her.

* * *

 _Thanksgiving Day_

 **Ana's POV**

Christian told me to come to his house in the morning. He said his mom always makes the best breakfast and insists his mom is looking forward to me spending the day with them.

Surprisingly, I'm not that nervous anymore. I know Christian's parents well since I'm at his house a lot, and Mia and I have become good friends. I'm really only meeting his extended family, and while I also want them to like me, it's nowhere near as intimidating as meeting his parents.

I decide to go with a Thanksgiving and fall-themed outfit. I put on a burnt orange and army green colored plaid dress. It's a very conservative and modest dress that falls mid-thigh, has a high neckline and has short capped sleeves. Since it's cold out, I put on a pair of black wool Wolford stockings and also grab a dark green wool coat. I put on a pair of black suede Christian Louboutin booties, pick up my black Chanel boy bag, and I'm out the door.

Pulling into Christian's driveway, I notice there are a lot more cars here than usual. Christian's aunts from his dad's side must also be here then too.

Christian must have been looking out the window for me because as soon as I get out of the car, he's already there.

"Can you help me with the pies in the back?" I ask him, smiling sweetly so he'll listen to me.

He lightly pushes me against my car and greets me with a kiss. I'd let this go on longer if we weren't surrounded by his family.

"Christian," I chastise him while nudging him away from me, "Your whole family is here." My cheeks flare up red, and he flashes me a cheeky grin.

"I missed you, baby," he says while wrapping his arms around me.

"It's been a day," I joke. He gives me a wounded look, and I relent, "I missed you too. But right now the pies are more important."

Christian grabs the pies from the trunk, and we walk inside the house together. I can hear a lot of noise coming from the kitchen and a lot of laughter as well.

"You're going to have to remind me of everyone's names," I tell Christian looking up into his eyes before reaching the kitchen.

"Don't worry baby," he says tenderly, "I'll be by your side all day."

His words are comforting to me, and I snuggle against his arm.

"Ana's here," Christian gets the room's attention.

I'm met with a bunch of new faces. Christian told me about his Uncle Charlie and his Aunt Jessica, and I can immediately tell which one is her. Her face is full of botox, and there is way too much Juvederm in her lips. Like worse than Kylie Jenner's. _Way worse._

I also see Christian's grandparents, who he talks so highly of. I think I'm the most excited to meet them. Christian always talks about how close he and his grandfather are and how he could always talk to him.

There's also a set of identical twins in the room who look a year or two younger than me who obviously take after their mother. I don't think they need any more explanation than that. There are three younger kids: a boy and two girls, who look absolutely sweet and adorable.

Christian's two aunts from his dad's side are easy to pick out as all three siblings look so much alike.

Grace is the first one to greet me. She gives me a big hug and says, "I'm so glad you could join us, Ana."

She pulls me away from Christian's side and sweetly says, "Come, I'll introduce you to everyone."

Christian flashes me a sympathetic glance and mouths 'good luck.' I'm sure it's not going to be that bad.

Breakfast is already laid out on the counter, so everyone is dispersed around the kitchen and dining room enjoying their meals. I can smell the french toast, and cinnamon buns and my mouth starts to water.

But before I can reach the food, Grace pulls me over to introduce me to Christian's grandparents.

Christian's grandmother is the cutest lady I've ever seen.

"Oh sweetheart," Christian's grandmother coos, "What are you doing with my grandson. You're much too pretty." She envelops me into a hug, and definitely one thing I've noticed about Christian's family is that they are huggers and aren't afraid to invade your personal space.

I invite her hug, laugh at her boldness, and reply, "Thank you so much, Mrs. Trevelyan. It's so nice to finally meet you." "As for what I'm doing with your grandson, I'm not sure," I joke.

She laughs at my joke and grabs both of my hands, "Oh, please dear. Call me grandma. I can't believe our Christian found someone as gorgeous as you."

I blush at her and Christian's grandfather pipes in, "Adelaide, you're scaring the poor girl."

Christian's grandfather, Theodore Trevelyan, holds out his hand for me to shake, and I take it.

"It's so nice to meet you as well," I state confidently.

"Likewise, Anastasia," he replies, "I'm sorry about my wife, she doesn't really have a filter."

I flash him a bright smile. I can see why Christian is so close to him. Judging from the few minutes I've known him, he seems like a very stern but compassionate person. He has a quality about him that instantly makes me feel comfortable and at ease. And he and his wife seem to still have an amazing relationship after being married for so long. _I hope to achieve that one day. Hopefully with Christian._

After talking to Christian's grandparents for a little while longer, Grace brings me a full plate of food fixed with a small portion of everything. _Thank God! I was absolutely starving!_

Grace then introduces me to the rest of the family. Christian's twin cousins are anything but pleasant - both of them are complete airheads and so stuck up. I'm sorry, but my daddy is probably ten times richer than them so they can shut the heck up.

Christian's Uncle Charlie is a good looking guy for his age. He's about 6'4" - the same height as Christian - and has a strong build. He's a very friendly guy and seemed genuinely excited to meet me. His wife, on the other hand, is a piece of work. She's obviously a glorified housewife and doesn't have a job or something she's passionate about. She's the antithesis of Grace who is a working woman who loves her job and loves her children.

Anyways, contrary to the twins, Christian's other three cousins were lovely. The youngest, Alexis, was so sweet and said she wanted a dress just like mine. My heart melted.

Both of Carrick's sisters as well as their husbands were lovely and welcoming.

After I'm introduced to everyone, Christian is immediately at my side, whisking me away.

He leads me to the foyer where there's an ornate wreath with small cards attached to it with ribbon.

"My mom made everyone write what they're thankful for to put on the wreath," he explains to me.

I smile, "That's such a great idea."

There are some extra cards and some pens on the table. I write, 'I'm thankful for friends and family, new and old.'

"Did you do one yet?" I ask him.

He nods and points to his on the wreath. In beautiful, neat cursive one simple word: 'Ana.'

* * *

For the past hour, Grace and Christian's aunts, Maria and Cecilia, and I have been going through photo albums of the Grey family while everyone else is watching (or pretending to watch) the Thanksgiving football game - it's the Seahawks against the 49ers this year.

Going through the hundreds of neatly arranged and organized photo albums, there are the cutest photos of the Greys and their extended family.

There are so many photos of Christian and Elliot from elementary school to high school. There are thousands of pictures of Elliot playing pee-wee football, and I'm surprised to see many of Christian playing all different kinds of sports as a kid: baseball, soccer, and basketball.

Mia has many photo albums dedicated only to her, many of which include appearances from her cousins and friends from school. Because Mia is averse to sports and physical activity, I'm not surprised to see photos of her looking miserable in a karate uniform.

I notice that Elliot and Mia both have photos documenting their infant years, but Christian's memories start only start when he was four.

For the most part, the photos from Christian's younger years show him as a scared young boy in a brand new environment. You can almost feel the fear radiate from his small face. My heart hurts for the 4-year-old Christian but is filled with happiness and gratuity for the man it brought me today.

Grace flips the page yet again, and there are countless photos of Christian in embarrassing situations. In fact, the title of the page is 'Crazy Christian.'

My favorite picture is Christian running around in his underwear wearing a Tupperware as a hat. He looks about 6 in that photo.

"You have to send me copies of these photos, Grace," I giggle scanning through the plethora of embarrassing photos.

"Of course dear," Grace replies, smiling at the memories on the pages.

* * *

Christian's family has been fawning over me all day that I've barely got to spend any time with Christian. While I do miss him, spending time with Christian's extended family has been wonderful. They've really made me feel welcomed and a part of their family.

It's about 5 pm, and Grace just called everyone into the large dining room for dinner. Grace has worked tirelessly along with Mia and Christian's aunts to prepare this stunning meal. There's literally every Thanksgiving dish you could think of on the table, and it all smells delicious.

I'm seated in between Christian and Mia in the center of the table. Carrick is on one end, and Grace is on the other end like the perfect hosts should be.

Christian's hand is firmly placed on my thigh, and I shoot him a warning glare. _For goodness, sake. We are literally surrounded by his family now!_

He flashes me a goofy grin and moves his hand further up my thigh.

 _Ugh, whatever! I'll just ignore him for now and punish him later._

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

My family has basically monopolized all of Ana's time – I feel like I haven't even seen her today. And she looks amazing in that dress of hers. The dress is definitely covering up her gorgeous little body a lot more than usual, but I have a colorful imagination.

Ana is deep in conversation with Aunt Cecilia. They're chatting about their international travels. Since Cecilia and her husband Jake don't have any kids, they travel quite a bit. And apparently, Ana does too.

I'm sitting here silently eating my food when I decide to play a little game with Ana.

My hand is already resting on her thigh that is exposed from sitting down. Discreetly, I sneak my hand underneath her dress and rub circles around her inner thigh.

I see Ana's cheeks turn red, and I can feel her body start to heat up. _It looks like my baby is turned on._

She yet again shoots me a warning glare, and I flash her my signature smirk again.

Ana ignores me and continues her conversation, so I softly whisper against her ear, "I know you're turned on, baby. Don't deny it."

Ana shudders and Aunt Cecilia admonishes, "Christian! Give the poor girl some space. She's trying to eat."

"Sorry, Aunt Cecilia," I apologize and back away from Ana.

At the end of the meal, Grace goes back to the kitchen to get dessert. There's pumpkin pie, pecan pie, vanilla ice cream, chocolate tarts, an assortment of other pastries, and of course, Ana's mouthwatering apple pie.

Before we all dig in Grace makes a speech, "I'm so happy you all could make it today. There's so much to be thankful for this year. Ana, we're so happy that you're here with us and so blessed your in our lives."

And with that, everyone devours into the dessert.

After dessert, Maria's kids were starting to get restless at the table, so they went off to go chill in the living room. Mia and the twins went upstairs, and the adults were still at the table, drinking coffee and tea, chatting away.

"Mom," I ask, "May Ana and I be excused?"

"Of course, darling," she replies with a smile.

I get up from my seat and grab Ana's hand leading her outside.

"Where are we going, Christian?" she asks.

"A walk," I reply briskly. "Here," I say wrapping one of my coats around her, "It's cold outside."

"You'll keep me warm," she murmurs.

I open the door outside, and we walk hand-in-hand in comfortable silence on the cobblestone path around the property.

"I love your family, Christian," Ana muses, breaking the silence.

"I love you," I blurt out, then immediately freeze. _Fuck did I really just say that?! Fuck Grey, you're going to scare her away!_

I sink my head down and try to look anywhere but her. There's a moment of silence before I hear her angelic voice reciprocate, "I love you too, Christian."

 _Excuse me what did she just say?!_ I don't think I've ever been happier in my life. The girl I love loves me too, and that's the best feeling in the world.

I immediately turn my gaze back to her, and she's already looking at me for a response.

She puts her hand around my waist, and I gently put my hands on her face, grazing her lip with my thumb. I lift her in my arms, so our heads are level with each other and kiss her with everything I have.

"I love you, I love you, I love you," I mumble in between kisses and giggles.

We both have goofy grins on our faces after our declaration of love. I'm not sure if it's the moonlight, but Ana is positively glowing and looking more beautiful than ever.

Best Thanksgiving ever.


	8. Firsts

**A/N: Check out my Pinterest board for this story!**

 **My username is amandamendess01**

* * *

 **Chapter 7 - Firsts**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Mmmm," I moan as Christian assaults my neck with kisses and pinches my nipples through my thin school blouse.

I reach up to untuck his shirt and run my hands over his chiseled abs.

He grinds his erection into my sex, and I whimper at the sudden rush of pleasure.

"Fuck Ana," he moans and nibbles my ear.

Boldly, I start to unbutton his shirt, and I realize I've never touched his bare chest before. The thought of running my hands all over his broad chest and clawing at his back while he makes love to me turns me on.

I really want to forget all about waiting and just tell him to fuck me. _Why didn't I want to have sex with him again?_

I finally undo all the buttons on his shirt and Christian starts to lift up my skirt and grabs my butt. I moan into his mouth and run one of my hands along his peck.

Immediately, the mood shifts. Christian jolts away from me and bolts off the couch, storming off somewhere in my apartment.

 _What the hell just happened?_

Nervously, I bite my lip and go running after him.

When I find him, he's sitting on the floor with his knees scrunched up to his chest. He has his face buried in his hands, and he looks like he's crying. I've never seen Christian cry before. Even when he woke up from that nightmare. Not a single tear. _Who hurt this poor boy?_

Cautiously, I sit next to him and lean my head against his shoulder. He tenses up a bit but remains silent.

I know I need to push him to tell me what's going on, so I quietly ask, "Did I do something wrong, Christian?"

He immediately lifts up his head, and I can see the teardrops falling down his pain-stricken face.

He sniffles and wipes a tear away. "You didn't do anything wrong, baby. It's all my fault. I'm 50 shades of fucked up."

Hearing him say that was like a stab in the heart. "You're not fucked up, Christian," I insist, putting my hand in his. "I know what you went through as a child must have been terrible, but look at who you've become. You're amazing, Christian – the best and most caring boyfriend ever. And that's why I love you."

He doesn't respond and continues just to sit there staring into space. "Tell me," I try to coax him, "I want to understand."

I use my thumb to wipe a tear that is falling down his face and pull his head towards me so that we are facing eye to eye.

Firmly, I state, "I promise you anything you say to me won't change how I feel about you." I give him a lingering kiss on the cheek and continue, "I love you so much, Christian."

He stares into my eyes, and his lip starts to tremble. Finally, he opens his mouth to speak, "My birth mother was a prostitute."

There's a long pause in his speech, and I wait for him to gather his thoughts and continue, "Her pimp, he, he, he used to beat me and abuse me. I was just a kid."

The tears start to fall harder, and I put my arm around him to pull him closer to me.

"He, he used to burn me with his cigarettes. I, I have scars all over my chest and back. I, I, developed haphephobia. I never let anyone touch me. It, it brings back the pain, and it brings back the memories, and I just can't Ana." His sobs get even louder.

"You've let me touch you before," I think out loud.

"You've never touched my bare chest before. I think that's what triggered the memory. I'm usually not comfortable with anyone's touch, but it was different with you. I didn't feel the pain; I felt warmth and love. But when you touched my bare chest, I freaked out," he relays.

My heart breaks for the little boy inside of him who was abused and rejected. "Where was your mother when all this was happening?" I ask, genuinely curious. I know I shouldn't push him so far with the questioning, but my overeager mind is dying to know more about him.

"She was addicted to drugs. She didn't care about me," he says somberly. "Sometimes she would forget to feed me. I remember being hungry and finding a bag of frozen peas. That was all I had to eat."

I can feel the tears starting to form in my eyes, and I don't know what to say to him to make this situation better.

"You're so strong, Christian," I say, hoping to make him feel better.

"I'm not strong, Ana," he spits out, "All I do is fuck shit up. I'm a disappointment to my family. And now I'm getting you involved in all my fucked up shit. You shouldn't be dealing with my problems."

I run my fingers through his hair and reply, "You're my problem now, Christian. It's you and me, right?"

He looks at me incredulously, and I go on, "You're the strongest person I know. You've been through so much, and you're still standing. You bring so much love and happiness into my life, Christian. You're far from a disappointment."

"I'm not who you think I am, Ana," he says pulling further away from me.

I don't allow him to move too much further from me and latch onto his arm. I wait for him to elaborate.

Eventually, he goes on, "Before I met you I would get into fights a lot. I was angry. I was drinking too much. I felt like I didn't belong in my family. My fucking perfect brother Elliot was going to Yale, and here I was getting expelled from schools for fighting. I felt like a failure. My parents were so disappointed in me. They probably still are. I, I, I just let them down."

I wrap both of my arms around him and try to soothe him, "Well that's not the Christian I know. The Christian I know is kind, compassionate, loving, attentive, and beautiful. And I love him. And your parents love you too Christian. Sure, you made some mistakes, but we all do. That doesn't make you a lesser of a person. Your parents are so proud of you, Christian. I'm so proud of you too."

At my words, he melts into my arms and nuzzles body against my embrace. "I thought you'd run," he says so softly it's barely audible.

I run my fingers through his unruly locks and ask, "Why'd you think I'd run?"

"I'm 50 shades, baby," he admits.

"I'm not going anywhere," I declare firmly, "I'll always be here for you."

Christian has no response and continues to stare blankly at anywhere but me.

"Look at me, Christian," I insist. He doesn't move.

"Look at me, Christian, please," I plead again, a tear rolling down my cheek.

"Christian, please look at me," I cry, tugging on his arm.

He turns his head towards me, and I grab his face with both of my hands.

The tears are flowing down my cheeks more rapidly now. "I love you, Christian. So much. Please don't close off from me. I promise I won't touch you anymore. I'm so sorry you had to go through that." I barely choke those last few words out.

Christian surprises me by pulling me on his lap. "I want you to be able to touch me. You can touch me. I just, you caught me by surprise today. No one has touched me there for a long time," he says, rubbing circles on my back.

I crumble in his embrace and nestle my head in the crook of his neck. "I love you so much, Ana. You saved me."

I stare into his eyes and see the sincerity in his words. In this moment, I do what feels the most right and the most natural. I crash my lips against his.

The kiss his hot and heavy, full of passion and emotion. I pull and tug his hair, and he moans into my mouth. I'm highly aroused and can feel my panties get increasingly soaked.

I grind on top of his already hard manhood, and he moans, "Fuck, Ana."

When we break for air, I look him in the eye, and plead, "Make love to me, Christian."

He looks hesitant, but I persist, "Please, Christian. Make love to me."

That seems to unleash the beast and Christian picks me up and carries me to my bedroom.

He lightly tosses me onto the bed and quickly takes off his shirt. I bite my lip in anticipation as Christian unbuckles his belt.

I start to unbutton my blouse and Christian interrupts, "I want to do that, baby."

I feel a gush of wetness flow to my panties and nod in agreement. When he steps out of his pants, I am aghast. His bulge is huge. _How the hell is that going to fit?_

With my open-mouthed face, Christian senses my trepidation. "Don't worry, baby," he says while climbing onto the bed with me.

His lips latch onto my already swollen ones, and he carefully undoes all the buttons on my shirt. _Thank God I wore cute lingerie today!_

"Fuck Ana," he groans while pushing one of my bra cups down to suck on my nipple.

Unconsciously, I buck up because of the pleasure, and he gives the same treatment to the other nipple. _Fuck! I think I could cum if he keeps doing this._

"Oh, Christian," is all I can manage to get out.

He then shifts his attention to my sex and nimbly unzips my skirt. I shimmy out of it, and he tosses it somewhere on the floor.

"Christian, please," I beg, needing some kind of release or stimulation.

He rests his forehead against mine and asks the unspoken question, "Ana, have you, have you?"

I shake my head no and croak out, "Have you?"

He shakes his head no, and I feel a wash of happiness rush over me. Both of our firsts. _Hopefully our last too._

He carefully removes my panties, and when he rubs his finger over my clit, I can't help but scream.

"I love you so much, Ana," he moans breathlessly into my mouth while playing with my sex.

Slowly, he uses two fingers to penetrate me, and I think I see stars. He curls his fingers inside of me and hits my g-spot.

"Ahhh, fuck," I cry out.

He kisses me to subdue my screams and whispers, "I know, baby. Let go."

I start to relax as he coaxes an orgasm out of me. It's not too long before I feel a rush of ecstasy run through my body. He rubs my clit to intensify the orgasm, and all I can do is robotically moan his name.

Wanting to reciprocate, I rub his erection through his boxer briefs, and he lets out the sexiest groan I've ever heard come from him.

I flip us over on the bed so that I'm on top of him. I'm careful to avoid his no-go zones, and I lick and kiss his chiseled abs.

I pull the boxers down his body, and his erection springs up right before my face. _Fuck, this is really big._

I plant my hand at the base of his cock and lick from the base to the tip, loving the sound of Christian's moans.

I take the tip into my mouth and swirl my tongue around it. _It looks like those lessons from Kate are paying off right about now._

I then try to take as much of Christian's cock into my mouth, and since I don't have a gag reflex, it's quite easy.

I bob my head up and down his erection and am surprised when he stops me.

"Ana, baby, fuck. I don't want to cum in your mouth," he groans, lifting me up and flipping our positions yet again.

I spread my legs in anticipation for him, and I'm too far gone to think about anything else right now.

Christian hovers over me and positions his manhood right at my entrance.

"Fuck Ana," he exclaims, "Do you have a condom?"

"I'm on birth control," I murmur, "I want to feel you Christian. Please."

He nuzzles his head against mine and whispers, "I want you to be able to touch me, baby. But do you think you could…" his words trail off.

"I won't touch you, Christian. I promise," I reply, wanting him to be as comfortable as possible.

He gives me a look of gratitude, and I kiss his forehead.

He lines up his erection to my sex again and slowly starts to push in. "I'm so sorry, baby. This might hurt," he murmurs.

"Keep going, Christian," I insist.

He pushes into me a little more, and I feel so full. _Fuck it hurts too._ I do my best to hide the look of pain on my face, but Christian is too in tune with my emotions to fool him.

He kisses all over my face and asks, "Do you need me to stop, baby?"

I shake my head no, wanting him and needing him to go on.

"Are you in all the way?" I ask, feeling more stretched out than ever.

"Barely halfway," he replies, toying with my clit to give me some sort of stimulation and pleasure.

I have to bite my lip hard to hide my screams of pain when Christian fully sheaths himself inside of me.

"Fuck, Ana," he moans, "Are you okay. Can I move?"

All I can feel right now is pain, so I reply, "Can you wait a little. I just need to adjust."

He nods his head and stills his body inside of me. He kisses all over my neck and pinches my nipples to help me focus on the pleasure.

After a while, the pain starts to subside, and I start to feel pleasure run through my veins.

"Move, Christian," I spit out, unable to form any other coherent words.

Slowly he starts to pump in an out of me. Unable to wrap my arms around him and claw at his back, I latch my hands onto his biceps as he deliciously drives in and out of me.

"I love you, Ana," he moans into my ear after every thrust.

All I can do is gasp, scream, and cry out in pleasure. I feel something starting to build up in the pit of my stomach and realize I'm almost at the edge.

"Harder, Christian," I beg, "Fuck!"

He lets out an almost animalistic grunt, and his thrusts get harder. I grab the silk sheets under me and scream, "I, I think I'm going to cum."

"Let go, baby," he mumbles into my hair, "I'm almost there."

I close my eyes, and I'm in heaven. The orgasm rakes through my whole body, and I scream at the top of my lungs.

Christian thrusts start to get sloppy, and he grunts into my ear. I can feel his cum disperse inside of me and feel warmth in between my thighs.

Exhausted, I close my eyes and mumble, "Mmmm, love you."

I feel the duvet being pulled over me and feel Christian snuggling beside me.

"I love you, baby. Forever," he whispers into my ear. "Sleep now."

He wraps his arm around my waist, and I fall into a deep sleep with a grin plastered on my face. I dream of Christian and I growing up together, starting a family together, and loving each other every day of our lives.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I can't sleep. I'm afraid I'll wake up and this all will have been a dream. This feels too perfect. Ana, my angel, still wanted me despite all my issues. She loves me. And she wants me.

I'm still in shock, and I can't stop staring at her out of fear she might disappear at some point. Listening to her heart beating and her soft breathing is putting me at ease.

I can't fucking believe I just made love to her. She was absolutely perfect. Her body is fucking irresistible, and her little gasps and moans drove me crazy. I never want to let her go.

Is it possible to want to marry her already? I want to make her mine forever. I want to be able to call her mine and shout it out to the whole world.

I know we're so young. People are going to say that it's just infatuation, but we know better than that. What we have is so real, so pure. No one is ever going to take that away from us.

Ana's body is wrapped like a vine against mine. I wish I could've let her touch me wherever she wanted to, but I didn't know how I would react.

Carefully, I take her hand and place it on my bare chest. I feel a slight tinge of pain, and the memories come back momentarily. I have to remind myself that this is Ana. Ana's touch means everything to me, and I need to get over my fear for her.

I have to hold her hand against me for a few moments before my heart rate starts to decrease and my body starts to calm down. The pain starts to subside, and I start to feel love and warmth. I can only hope that I'll react this way when Ana's awake.

I want her to be able to touch me freely while we're making love. I want her to have all of me. She's given me so much, and I want to make sure I'm reciprocating.

Ana's in a deep sleep now, so I rush to her bathroom to get a washcloth to clean her up a bit. I run warm water on a small washcloth and go back to the bedroom.

I gently wipe away the remnants of our lovemaking between her thighs. She stirs a little but doesn't wake up.

I put the washcloth away and come back to bed. I wrap myself around her and plant a kiss on her forehead.

"I'll love you forever," I whisper into her ear and fall asleep right beside my angel.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

When I wake up, it's pitch black outside, and it's raining hard. Christian is holding on tightly to me even in his sleep. I smile, remembering what just transpired between us. I've never felt so loved, so beautiful, or so cherished in my life.

I look at the alarm clock on the bedside table and it reads 12:45 am. _Fuck did I really sleep for that long!_

I hear my stomach start to grumble and realize that we haven't eaten since lunch. I'm really hungry, but don't want to leave Christian here alone. I really don't want a repeat of that nightmare. I never want him to have to relive those memories in his dreams.

I push the duvet down and realize that we're both completely naked. I can feel a blush starting to settle on my cheeks. I take the time to admire his super toned body. I really want to run my hands along his chest, but I stop myself. I don't know how he would react in his sleep. Again, I'm so scared that it'll bring the memories back.

I take a closer look at his chest and see scars and burns scattered all over him. I want to cry for the little boy who had to endure this torture. I can feel the tears start to form in my eyes. I could kill the man who did this to him. Ray taught me how to shoot, you know.

I hear my stomach grumble again. I really need to get some food. Christian's probably starving too, so I decide it's best to wake him up.

I shake his arm, and he starts to stir. When he opens his eyes, I see a smirk form on his face, and he grabs my waist to position me on top of him.

I giggle at the sudden movement while he tries to kiss me.

"I'm hungry, Christian," I say while trying to avoid his kisses.

He huffs and plops back on the bed. I laugh at his playfulness and jump out of bed to put on some clothes.

Christian has left some clothes over here before, so I decide to put on his dress shirt. _Guys like when girls wear their clothes, right?_

Christian also hops out of bed and spots some of his clothes in my closet. He emerges wearing only a pair of sweats, and I find myself enjoying the view of his body.

"My eyes are up here," he jokes.

"Shut up, Grey," I laugh.

He walks up behind me and puts his hands on my waist. "You look so sexy in my shirt," he says softly in my ear.

"Stop distracting me," I chastise him, "I'm hungry."

* * *

Our gourmet dinner for tonight is a pint of Ben & Jerry's vanilla ice cream, some double-stuffed Oreos, a bag of salt and vinegar chips, and root beer.

I was too lazy to cook.

When we're done eating I suggest, "Shower?" and Christian's eyes light up.

We both rush to my bathroom and get the water running. It doesn't take long for both of us to get naked as we're wearing very little clothing.

Christian checks the temperature of the water to make sure it's warm, and we both get in.

The hot water feels so good on my skin, and Christian's intense gaze on me makes it even hotter in here.

Christian takes some soap and rubs it all over my body. I can't help but moan at his hands touching every inch of me.

When he's done with the soap, he spins me around, so my back is facing him.

He puts some shampoo in his hand and starts to massage my scalp. I can feel his erection against my butt and boldly grind my ass against him.

He mumbles, "God, Ana. I want to fuck you, right now."

"Then fuck me," I moan breathlessly.

"You're not sore?" he questions.

"No. Please fuck me, Christian," I beg.

That's all the encouragement his needs because he pushes me against the shower wall, lifts my leg up, and thrusts into me.

"Mmmmm," I moan at his sudden intrusion.

He steadies inside of me, letting me accommodate his length.

"Are you okay, baby?" he asks.

This new position feels so good and so new. I can only shake my head to get him to move.

He continues to thrust rhythmically in and out of me as the water is beating down on us.

When I scream, the sound is amplified by the acoustics in the bathroom, and it seems so much louder than before.

Christian wraps one of his hands around my waist to rub my clit, and when he does, I know I'm about to reach my peak.

There's nothing to grab onto in this shower for leverage, but Christian is holding me upright, supporting all my weight. He starts thrusting harder, and my body goes limp. I think I'm in heaven. I feel my body start to spasm, and my mind goes blank.

"Oh, Christian," I manage to let out.

It takes him a few more thrusts before he empties himself inside of me.

I don't think I can move my body on my own. I feel like jello. Christian turns the water off and wraps me up in a towel. Christian wraps another towel around his waist and uses another one to dry my hair.

My body melts into his, and I'm now completely depending on him for support. He really fucked me good.

Thank God for Christian because he dresses me in my own pajamas and carries me back to the bed. I feel sated, and I'm in paradise.

I feel a rush of tiredness throughout my whole body. My sex is throbbing but in a good way. I'll definitely be sore by tomorrow, but that will just remind me of Christian and where he's been.

I close my eyes and let sleep take over my body. The last thing I remember is Christian climbing into bed with me.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

It's 9 in the morning, and Anastasia is still sound asleep. Damn, I must have fucked her really good last night.

I get out of bed and put on a shirt I left here a few weeks ago. I go downstairs to call a Postmate for food. Ana will no doubt be famished when she wakes up. We didn't have much of a dinner last night.

The delivery guy arrives 30 minutes later with a bag full of delicious smelling breakfast foods. I ordered a ton of stuff: pancakes, french toast, scrambled eggs, bacon, avocado toast, hash browns, fruit, and pastries. I hope Ana's hungry.

I put all the food on a tray and bring it upstairs for Ana and me to eat in bed. As I'm walking upstairs, I realize how much of a romantic cliche this is. Breakfast in bed. I never thought I'd be that romantic guy who was all about hearts and flowers, but I guess I am now.

When I reach Ana's bedroom, she's still sound asleep. She looks so beautiful. The sunlight from the window is partially shining on her face. She looks like an angel, and she's glowing.

I hate to wake her up, but I don't want the food to get cold. I don't want to burn this building down by fucking around with the microwave.

"Ana, Ana, baby," I say softly while running my thumb across her cheek.

She slowly opens her eyes, having to adjust to the light.

When she sees me, she flashes me a bright smile, and I give her a good morning kiss – the first of many.

"Morning, baby," I say with a grin on my face, "I brought you breakfast in bed."

She looks at the spread in front of her and licks her lips. "You're the sweetest," she exclaims, "I'm so hungry, and this smells amazing."

I crawl under the covers with her, and we devour our breakfast.


	9. Bonus Ch 2: Girl Talk

**A/N: To all my American readers, Happy Thanksgiving! Another short bonus chapter for all you guys. This time, it's Ana spilling the beans on losing her virginity. This was super fun to write. Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

 **Bonus Chapter 2 - Girl Talk**

* * *

Christian left my apartment after making love five times today. We fucked in the shower, my bed, the kitchen, the couch, and again in my bed. Geez, Christian has quite the stamina, and I'm simply worn out.

I honestly can't believe I lost my virginity to Christian. He's such an amazing lover too. He refuses to cum before me, and always checks to make sure I'm okay before fucking the living daylights out of me. I wouldn't mind behind his 24-hour sex slave. Kidding. Kidding.

But being real, when Christian makes love to me I feel so sexy and beautiful. He makes me feel so confident about myself. I'm not afraid to be vulnerable with him because he's been so open and honest with me.

He's truly the love of my life. I'm going to marry him someday. I really am.

Fuck! I, of course, have to tell my best friend that I'm finally not a virgin anymore! She's going to lose her mind. Little virgin Ana no more!

I text her telling her to come over as soon as possible.

She arrives 30 minutes later and comes rushing into the apartment.

"Ana, Ana, Ana!" she screams, "What do you need to tell me?"

I bite my lip and sheepishly murmur, "I may have lost my virginity."

"Ahhh! OH MY GOD!" Kate screams, hugging me tightly. "This is so exciting. My baby Ana has grown up!"

Before I can even get a word in she exclaims, "You have to tell me everything! When? Where? Was it good? Did you cum? OH MY GOD, I STILL CAN'T BELIEVE IT!"

I giggle at how excited she is and grab one of her hands to calm her down.

"Kate," I try to get her attention, "I'll tell you everything. Just calm down for a minute!"

She rolls her eyes at me but tones down the excitement.

"So…" she presses on.

"It was amazing," I gush.

She wraps me in a bear hug and squeals. "Just amazing? Tell me more!"

I flush red and expand, "Earth-shattering, life-changing, romantic, sexy, hot, beautiful, and everything in between."

"Was he big?" Kate unabashedly asks.

I giggle at her straightforward question and meekly reply, "Yep."

She squeals yet again and continues her interrogation: "Did you cum?"

"Many, many times," I say smiling, remembering last night and today's events.

"What?!" she exclaims sounding surprised. "You came your first time?!"

"Yeah," I reply nonchalantly, not finding anything surprising or weird about that statement.

"Holy crap, Ana! You lucky girl! Christian must be amazing in bed then. My first time was so terrible. I thought I was going to die from the pain. Did it not hurt at all?" Kate babbles.

"It hurt at first, but then," I reply blushing, "It was amazing."

"Did you only fuck once?" Kate asks bluntly.

"Five times," I say smirking.

Kate looks like her brain is about to explode out of her head.

"Holy shit, you crazy girl! Five times! God damn," she yells. "How does that boy have so much stamina? I need to find me a man like that."

"I really don't know," I reply/ "It just seemed like he was permanently hard for me," I joke.

"On a more serious note," Kate switches the subject, "How do you feel?"

I can always count on Kate to ask about the juicy details while also asking about more personal and intimate ones. I know losing your virginity can be a huge life-changing thing for most if not all girls. Kate is definitely a true friend for making sure I'm emotionally stable.

"Honestly," I answer, "I feel like the best version of me. Christian just made me feel so special, so wanted, and so loved. He was so attentive to how I was feeling and wanted to make sure I was enjoying myself. He really put me first."

She pulls me into another big hug and says, "I'm so glad to hear that. You deserve to be treated like the angel you are. I'm so happy Christian's in your life. You've been a lot happier recently."

I give her a warm smile and she continues, "Now that's out of the way, tell me you tried doggy style."

I throw my head back laughing and tell her all about the various positions we tried.


	10. Fathers

**Chapter 8 - Fathers**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Fuck, Christian! I'm cumming!" I scream as he rams into me from behind.

"That's it, baby. Cum for me," he grunts while pinching my nipple.

I feel a wave a pleasure rush through my body, and I sink down on the bed crying out his name. Christian spills himself into me and rolls on his side of the bed.

Yes. He has his side of the bed now. Cute, right? Anyways, making love to Christian is my new favorite pastime and when he takes charge and fucks me. Mind-blowing.

He still isn't entirely comfortable with my touch. He has never had a problem with me touching him while he's clothed. But I think when we're making love, he feels vulnerable, like that little four-year-old boy who lost his mother.

It's almost Christmas, and I'm so excited for my father to finally meet Christian. He's taking a much needed three weeks off from work so that he can spend as much time with me as possible. I've been talking to him nonstop about Christian for the past few weeks. I know that as a father, he's a bit skeptical of me finally having a boyfriend. But he's very supportive of me because of how happy he knows I am.

Christian and I are now cuddling in bed, basking in the afterglow of our lovemaking.

"My dad's coming tomorrow," I remind him.

"I'm nervous," he admits with a shaky voice.

"Don't be," I try to reassure him. "My dad's not going to kill you," I joke.

"I'm not worried that he's going to kill me, baby," he says, "But he might think I'm not good enough for his beloved daughter."

"Christian," I say, looking at him with hooded eyes, "Don't sell yourself short. I know my dad's going to love you. Just be yourself."

And just like that his nervous demeanor is gone and is replaced by an air of confidence.

He smirks at me and says, "Enough talking about your father."

He dives under the covers and attaches his lips to my clit, sucking hard on the nub.

"Mmmm," I moan and let Christian work his magic.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Ana's father is having a driver pick him up from the airport. He didn't want to trouble Ana with having to deal with the airport traffic.

Ana and I are putting Christmas decorations around the apartment and cleaning up, preparing for his visit. Ana and I bought a Christmas tree and had it delivered too. We haven't decorated it yet. Ana said she wanted to save that for when her dad arrived.

Ana's been telling me that she's spoken to her father about our relationship many, many times. She says that he's happy that she's so happy, but I think I know how most fathers are. He's probably ready to grill me about my intentions with his daughter the moment he meets me. Also, the guy is definitely scary. He was in the military for goodness sakes. And he works for the president now, which is exponentially more intimidating.

I'm also nervous as hell to meet Ana's father. This might be the most important person I'll ever meet. Considering I want to marry his daughter someday (hopefully soon), I'll need him to like me.

Ana's putting tinsel and garland on the fireplace and is also hanging the stockings. There's one for Ana, her dad, and what the hell? Is she really hanging up one for me?

I sneak up behind her and wrap my arms around her waist.

"You got me a stocking," I murmur, kissing down her neck.

"Well, you're part of the family now," she replies, turning around and giving me a quick kiss.

Just then, the elevator dings, signaling her father's arrival.

Shit, shit, shit! I don't want to be making out with his daughter the first time he sees me.

Ana breaks from my embrace and runs to the elevator.

"Daddy!" she shrieks, crushing him into a big hug.

"Annie," he replies, "I missed you so much peanut."

"Where's all your stuff?" she asks.

"The doorman's bringing it up soon," he replies, as he walks into the apartment with Ana.

Raymond Steele is about 6'4" and is well built. He was in the army after all. He has a stern but caring face, and he looks so happy to see his daughter.

I can feel my nerves build up and my heart starts racing, apprehension setting in. Don't embarrass yourself, Grey.

"Daddy, this is Christian," she introduces.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Steele," I say, holding out my hand for him to shake.

"You too, son," he states, giving me a firm handshake. "Annie's been telling me all about you," he continues.

"Good things I hope," I chuckle nervously.

"Of course all good," Ana says.

Sensing the awkward silence, Ana jumps in. "Daddy, I think you worked with Christian's dad before. Grey & Associates."

"Ah, yes," Mr. Steele recalls. "Carrick Grey is your father?" he asks.

"Yes, sir," I reply, "My dad speaks highly of you."

"Send your dad my regards then," he says.

"I will sir," I respond.

"Call me Ray, son," he declares.

Ana gives me a sly wink, signaling to me that I've made a good first impression.

* * *

Ana, her father, and I are currently eating dinner at Canlis. Her idea. I wanted her to have some alone time with her father, but she insisted I come with them.

"Daddy, Christian helps me with math all the time. He's the reason I'm not failing," she declares.

"Wow, if you can help her with math, you deserve a medal," he jokes.

I laugh along with them, and Ana admonishes, "Hey, I'm not that helpless."

I raise my eyebrows at her and she giggles, "Okay, math is definitely not my strong suit. I'll admit it."

"That's okay, Annie," Ray says, "We all have our strengths." "So son, have you thought about college yet?" he inquires, "Annie tells me you're absolutely brilliant."

"She's probably exaggerating my intelligence," I reply.

"Definitely not," Ana quips.

Ray looks at me knowing I just dodged his question.

"As for college," I reply honestly, "Harvard."

"Ambitious," Ray states.

"My mom went to Yale, and my dad went to Harvard. My brother's doing his first year at Yale right now, so I think anything less will be met with grave disappointment."

"Fitz went to Harvard," Ray remarks, looking at Ana.

I'm a bit confused until Ana mouths to me, 'the President.'

"Ana's going to Harvard," Ray states like it's no big deal. Ana rolls her eyes at her dad but he continues, "I'll speak to President Grant about making a call for you."

"That's really not necessary, sir," I say, "I don't want to put you through the trouble. And I'm sure the president has more pressing matters to attend to."

"Don't worry, son," Ray replies, "It's not a problem at all. Welcome to the family."

Just then, Ray gets a call. "I'm sorry kids, I have to take this," he declares, getting up from his seat and stepping outside.

"What the hell was that?!" I ask Ana.

She shrugs her shoulders and says, "My dad can be very pushy at times."

"You think?" I raise my voice.

She giggles at me and says, "I didn't know you wanted to go to Harvard."

"Who doesn't," I brush her off. "What about you? You never mentioned anything to me about Harvard either."

"As if I had a choice," she states. My dad and the president have practically been planning it since me, and the president's son were kids."

"You're friends with the president's son?" I inquire, feeling jealousy run through my veins.

She senses this and tries to calm me down, "I love you Christian. You. No one else. The president's son and I are like brother and sister. There's nothing there. Please drop it."

I raise an eyebrow at her in skepticism, and she grabs one of my hands to reassure me.

"I know what you're thinking, Christian," she states, "But really. I promise. Jerry and I are nothing but friends, honorary siblings if you will."

I know Ana loves me. But a part of me is jealous. Jealous and worried and angry. Jealous because someone like the president's son might be the better choice for Ana. Worried because I know I'm fucked up. Worried because I know Ana's too good for me, no matter what she tells me otherwise. Angry because Ana has never mentioned him to me before.

"How come you've never told me about him before?" I question with anger laced through my voice.

"It never came up," Ana defends, "And he doesn't mean anything to me, baby. You're my whole world." Her face is begging and pleading at me to drop it, so I do.

When Ana's dad comes back, he apologizes for the interruption.

"Consider Harvard a done deal, son," he declares.

I don't know what else to say but, "Thank you."

The food comes a few minutes later, and we all dig in to the delicious meal. Ana gets up needing to use the restroom, leaving me with her father alone. Fuck, fuck, fuck. This is when the grilling is really going to start.

"You make my daughter happy," he states.

"I try," I reply sheepishly.

"She loves you, you know."

"I love her too," I say confidently.

"That's good to hear."

From his facial expression, I can't tell what he's thinking. He's impossible to read, unlike his daughter who wears her emotions on her sleeve.

"She doesn't let people in easily," he continues, "She's always been guarded. The girl has tons of friends, but only a few close ones. She doesn't usually let new people into her heart. Don't hurt her."

"That's the last thing I want to do, sir," I reply, scared shitless.

Ana finally comes back to the table, saving me from her scary ass father, and we finish our meal over light conversation.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

My father seemed to really like Christian. Thank God. I honestly can't believe my dad bulldozed Christian over Harvard like that. He wouldn't do that for just anyone. My dad must really like Christian if he's going to go through all that trouble.

Christian's still a little pissed over the Jerry thing. I mean, I guess I should've told him that I'm friends with the president's son. That seems like a significant friendship in my life. We practically grew up together. But it really never crossed my mind to mention it to Christian.  
We haven't seen each other in a while with him moving to D.C. and everything, and we don't talk as much as we used to.

I get why Christian is annoyed, but at the same time, I don't think I made that big of a mistake. I guess Christian's the jealous type, and that's something I'm going to have to deal with later on.

Also, with Christian's many demons and his somewhat lack of self-esteem, I can understand why he was so upset to find out about our friendship. Jerry Grant is our age and is objectively very good looking. And let's not forget he's the president's son. Christian must feel like he now has to compete with him. And I know how deep his self-loathing issues run. That is not a good combination.

I need to reassure Christian that he's the only one I want. I have to convince him that he's good enough, that he's not competing with anybody. I love him. Nothing is going to change that.

Christian is pretending to be alright with me in front of my dad, but I know he's still upset. After dinner, my dad and I went back to the apartment, and Christian left abruptly, barely kissing me on the cheek.

Dad and I are sitting at the breakfast bar, talking over coffee and tea.

"You liked, Christian right daddy?" I question him.

"I did, Annie," he replies, "He's a fine boy."

"I'm so glad," I say with a beaming smile.

"Jerry misses you, you know," he says reminding me of the elephant in the room with Christian.

"I miss him too dad," I reply genuinely. There's without a doubt no romantic interest there. I meant what I said to Christian. He's like my brother, and I miss him.

"You have to visit D.C. again sometime. The president wants to see you too. And if that's not reason enough, your dear old dad loves spending time with you."

I pull him into a hug, not realizing how much I missed having him around before.

When we break apart, he declares, "I've been having the secret service keeping an eye on you."

I go wide-eyed at his comment, in complete shock that he doesn't trust me.

"Are you kidding me?" I ask with an attitude. Now I'm getting angry.

"It's for your safety, Annie," he tries to reason with me.

While I know that safety is an issue, I'm furious that he didn't tell me he had some goons spying on me.

I don't respond and just give him my irritated face.

He continues, "That boy really loves you, Annie. You could see it from a mile away."

The fact that my dad tells me that warms my heart. I know that's his way of telling me he supports our relationship.

"I love him too," I respond earnestly.

* * *

After my dad went to bed, I text Christian wanting to patch things up.

 **A:** I'm sorry I didn't tell you

I get a reply almost instantaneously.

 **C:** Don't be. I just have things I need to work out

My heart breaks for him, and I'm so upset that it was me this time who caused his distress, making him second guess himself and comparing himself to other guys. I need to make this right.

I run up to my closet and change into some very sexy cherry red lingerie and grab two scarves. I put on a trench coat, to complete this sexy cliche and sneak down to the garage to head to Christian's house.

When I arrive, the house is dark, signaling everyone has already gone to bed. I quietly enter the house and tiptoe to Christian's room.

I carefully open the door and see Christian lying in bed with the lamp on staring at the ceiling.

He looks surprised at my interruption. He immediately sits up and asks, "What are you doing here, Ana? Isn't your dad staying with you?"

I go sit down next to him on his bed and wrap my arms around him, nuzzling my head into the crook of his neck.

"He's dead asleep," I respond, "And I needed to see you to make things right. And prove to you that you're the only one for me."

I lightly graze my lips over his neck and continue, "I know I already said this, but I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about my friendship with the president's son, and I'm sorry that I'm making you feel this way. It was never my intention to lie to you or hide things from you. It just never crossed my mind as something important to tell you because he's not the most important person in my life. You are."

After my little speech, Christian pulls me into a passionate kiss.

"You're fucking mine," he spits out possessively.

"Yes. Yours," I manage to mumble out in between kisses.

Christian goes to unbutton my trench coat before I stop him. He looks up at me, non-verbally asking me if something's wrong.

I shake my head 'no' and reach into my bag for the scarves.

"I know you're not completely comfortable with me touching your bare skin. And I know it's something you struggle with when my hands are free to touch you. I want you to tie my hands up, Christian," I say, handing him the scarves.

"Oh, Ana," he replies, grabbing my face and pulling me into another kiss.

"I want to show you that I'm all yours, Christian," I say in a whisper, "And I think you'll feel more comfortable if you know I can't inadvertently touch you."

He looks reluctantly at the scarves I placed in his hands, so I encourage him, "You can tie my wrists to the bedposts, baby." "It could be insanely hot too," I try to crack a joke.

Christian looks as if he's pondering the situation and asserts, "I don't want to hurt you, baby."

"You won't," I immediately reply, "I know you won't."

He still looks reluctant, so I kiss him to convey my feelings. When I break away, I encourage, "Please, Christian. This is for you. Take me. However you want."

He doesn't say a word. He deliberately undoes every single one of the buttons on my trench coat and pushes it off my shoulders so it pools at my feet. His eyes feast all over my body and the very scandalous lingerie I'm wearing.

"You're so sexy baby," he says with a raspy voice.

I bite my lip while Christian unhooks my bra and places me onto the bed. He carefully ties my hands to either side of the headboard, so I can't move them. I feel exposed and vulnerable but sexy under his hot gaze.

He removes his clothes and climbs into bed with me, leaving a trail of kisses from my legs to my collarbone. I squirm and moan with every touch, and Christian continues his assault.

When his kisses reach my neck, he whispers, "You're mine."

He lightly rubs my clit over my underwear, and my immediate reaction is to squirm and move around on the bed. However, I'm stuck in place due to the ties on my wrist, and surprisingly it turns me on even more.

"Tell me you're mine," Christian declares.

He slips my panties down my legs and methodically slides two fingers into my soaking wet heat.

"Tell me you're mine," he repeats.

"I'm yours," I manage to moan out, "God, I'm all yours Christian. Please fuck me."

Christian swiftly lines himself up with my entrance and forcefully thrusts into me.

"Ahhhh," I gasp at his sudden intrusion.

He starts to pick up the pace and slams into me harder and harder. I want to cry out in ecstasy, but I'm forced to keep quiet, not wanting to wake anyone in the house.

"Oooh, Christian. Harder," I command, wanting more and more.

His thrusts become more forceful, and his voice rings raspy in my ear, "You're fucking mine, Anastasia. Mine."

Mmmm, I fucking love a demanding and possessive Christian.

"I'm yours," I whisper.

Panting and heavy breathing fills the room, and I submit myself to the feeling.

"Cum for me, baby," Christian murmurs in my ear as his thrusts become more erratic.

The floodgates open as I reach my peak and Christian empties himself into me.

He carefully unties my wrists, and I don't know what comes over me, but I start crying as he wraps me in his arms.

He caresses my head and asks sincerely, "What's wrong baby? I didn't hurt you, did I?"

I shake my head as the tears stream down my face. I shakily reply, "No, no, baby. I, I just. I'm so overwhelmed."

He wipes the tears off my face and blurts, "Touch me."

"What?" I croak in surprise.

"Touch me," he repeats, "I want you to touch me. Your touch means everything to me. I want you to have all of me." The tears are still running down my face, and this time he kisses them away.

Trembling, I reach out my hand to his chest, looking for a signal on his face telling me to stop. Christian's eyes are closed, and he looks like he's shaking.

"Are you sure, Christian? I don't want to hurt you," I ask earnestly.

He shakes his head, still with his eyes closed. "I need you to touch me. Please."

With a shaking hand, I lay my palm against his bare chest, apprehensive of what his reaction might be.

Christian's eyes are still closed, and he looks like he's having a hard time. His breathing becomes more labored and his whole body is trembling.

In the soft light of the moon, I can barely make out small scars and burns speckled across Christian's chest.

I feel more tears pooling in my eyes and start sobbing again.

Christian finally opens his beautiful gray eyes and pulls my other hand towards his chest.

I try to pull it back, not wanting to cause Christian any more pain.

"No, no, no, baby," Christian breathes, "I need this. You're healing me."

I gently place my other hand on his bare chest, and run my hands all over his body, moving them to his back.

As I continue to roam my hands across his body, Christian's shoulders ease up and his breathing steadies.

I lovingly kiss each one of his scars and burns, in an effort to try to heal the wounds.

"I love you," I whisper in between kisses.

"They're so ugly," Christian says referring to his scars.

"No," I refute, "They're beautiful because they're a part of you. It shows you're a survivor. Your scars make you stronger. You're beautiful."

When he's had enough, Christian grabs both my hands and pins me to the bed as he makes love to me for a second, third, and fourth time.

* * *

After making love for the fourth time, Christian fell dead asleep. My poor boy still has so many issues, and as much as I try to fix them, they'll always be lurking in the shadows.

All I want to do it comfort him, and love him, and heal him. I make a huge fucking mistake not telling Christian about Jerry, and that's brought out the worst demons, self-consciousness, and fear out of him.

I desperately want to stay in bed with him, but I know I must get home before my dad wakes up. He's an early riser. I give Christian a soft kiss on his forehead and reluctantly get out of bed, tiptoeing around the room to retrieve my clothing.

I sneak out of Christian's house as quietly as I snuck in and hop in my car back home.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I'm awoken by a sliver of light shining through my window. Instinctively, I reach across to the other side of the bed, expecting Ana to be there. She isn't. Ugh.

I know I completely overreacted regarding the situation with the president's son, but I couldn't help it. I felt hurt, betrayed, even lied to. But I know that was never Ana's intention. She's my angel.

When she came over last night, I wasn't expecting her at all. Knowing that I needed reassurance that she's all mine, she let me tie her up so I could have my wicked way with her. She knows exactly what I need, and I can't thank her enough for that.

I had to give her something back in return, so I let her touch me. Before Ana, no one had ever touched me clothed or unclothed in over a decade. After I met Ana, I was comfortable with her touch over clothes, but couldn't tolerate it on my bare skin. Last night, I finally let go of that fear, and I feel like I can really begin to heal now.

Maybe I'll finally be able to give my mother a proper hug. She's loved and cared for me my whole life, and the least I can do is show her how much I love her and how thankful I am for her. Ana is truly healing me. My angel.

I'm not wearing any clothes, as a result from last night, so I hop out of bed to put some on. I see one of the scarves I used to tie Ana up from last night and smirk to myself. She must've forgotten it.

I then hear my phone buzzing on my nightstand, and it's my angel herself.

"Hey baby," I answer flirtatiously.

"Hi baby," she greets, "Are you doing anything today?"

"Nope," I reply, hoping to get in some more alone time with her.

"My dad wants you to come fishing with us," she states.

"Fishing?" I reply incredulously. Ana's dad does not seem like the fishing type.

She giggles and responds, "I know. Not my favorite activity either. But it wasn't really an invitation. It was more of a demand."

I smile and say, "I'll be there. But I don't know how to fish."

She giggles again and says, "Yay! I'll see you soon. Be at the apartment by 10. Laters baby."

"Laters baby," I repeat to her and end the call.

 _Well, it looks like I have a fishing trip to prepare for._ It's 8 am so that gives me about an hour to research everything I can about fishing. I need to impress Ana's dad.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

When my dad says 'fishing,' what he really means is sailing on a small yacht with a full crew and wait staff.

I also don't fish. That's why my dad told me that Christian should tag along. I would normally just watch my dad fish, not wanting dead fish to ruin my outfit. It's about time he had someone participating in the activity with him.

I put on some black Rag & Bone jeans, a white cable knit sweater from Maje, and a black puffer jacket from Moncler. I pair it with a black Givenchy bag, and some Golden Goose sneakers then head downstairs. Christian should be here at any minute.

"You didn't have to get all dressed up, Annie," my dad says when I see him in the kitchen.

"I would hardly call this dressed up," I reply smiling.

"I remember a time you used to wear ratty sneakers and an old sweatshirt," he remarks, giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"Well, let's be glad to times are over," I say smiling at my father. "Christian should be here any minute," I inform him.

He nods his head, and the elevator opens up with Christian coming out of it.

He looks so handsome with his messy hair, signature smirk, and his sexy casual outfit. He's wearing khaki-colored pant, with a light blue, long-sleeve button-down tucked in and his favorite leather jacket. He's also wearing white sneakers from Common Projects, and he looks like a very well put together man. He looks absolutely edible.

"Christian," my dad greets him with a handshake.

"Hello Ray," Christian says, "Thanks for inviting me today."

"Not a problem son," Ray responds.

Christian smiles at me and greets me with a kiss on the cheek.

"Shall we?" my dad asks walking to the elevator to go down to the car.

We both nod our heads and follow suit.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Dad," Ana whines, "Why are we being driven by the Secret Service?"

We're currently sitting in an unmarked, large black Suburban accompanied by two Secret Service agents.

"It's just a precaution, sweetie," he states. "You know what? Think of this as a perk."

"What!" Ana admonishes. "The lovely perk of being spied on by two goons!" she says sarcastically.

"You know they can hear you," I whisper into her ear. She's not exactly being quiet, and the agents are only a few feet away from us in the front seats.

"We're not offended ma'am," the agent in the passenger seat says.

She rolls her eyes and mouths 'ma'am' to me, and I laugh at her childishness.

Ana doesn't look amused and glances at me.

"Oh for goodness sake, Ana," Ray declares, "Deal with it."

Ana pouts, but that did seem to silence her though. She doesn't mention anything else about the Secret Service agents after that.

When we get to the marina, Ana is definitely in a better mood.

"Have you gone fishing before, son?" Ray questions.

"No, sir," I reply, "But my family does go sailing often."

"Well, this is going to be fun then," he says smiling at me.

* * *

Long story short, fishing was a disaster. Despite my Google search on fishing, I was not an expert. Ray and Ana were laughing at me the whole time I was trying to figure the fishing pole out. Ray caught three fish, but that wasn't as good as my zero fish.

Anyways, Ana seemed to be amused by my idiocy, and I fucking love the sound of her laughter.

After the fishing disaster, Ana and I spent some time lounging on the deck while her dad had to make some work calls. Ana noticed one of the Secret Service agents who was watching us from across the deck. She kept giving the man side-eye, but if I were her, I would've thought twice. That guy was twice my size! And I'm also pretty sure he had a gun.

Come to think of it, Ana did mention her dad was a gun nut. Fuck! That means I'll really have to be careful around him.

Christmas is in a week, and Ana said her father was staying until the new year. My mom wants me to invite Ana and her father to our house for Christmas Eve. I'm pretty sure Ana would like the idea. Anyways, Elliot's coming home for Christmas this year, so my mom's pretty much going all out. She's excited to have all her kids under one roof this year. Plus, she now has the added guest of Ana, which I think she might be more excited about than Elliot's return.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

After sailing, dad took us to our favorite little seafood restaurant right on the water, so that's where we are right now.

Christian seems to be a lot more comfortable with my dad. He seems more at ease, and he isn't overanalyzing everything he's saying anymore.

"Oh, I almost forgot," dad remarks, "You're coming to D.C. for ski week right? You should bring Christian along."

"Ski week?" Christian questions.

"We have a random week off of school in February. Apparently, it's an optimal time to go skiing, so the school calls it ski-week," I inform him.

Christian nods his head and waits for my response.

"Of course I'm coming daddy," I respond. "Do you want to come with?" I ask Christian.

"Yeah sure," he replies nonchalantly, "Sounds like fun."

"I'll tell Fitz you're all set, sweetie," dad states, "He's going to be so excited to see you."

 _Fuck!_ Christian is going to have to meet Jerry. That might not be the best thing for him. He's already shown he's insanely jealous. I wonder how he might act when Jerry's around. The Secret Service might have to kick his ass. _Shit!_ I can only hope Christian forgets all about it when February rolls around.

Other than that, I'm so stoked for Christian to explore D.C. with me. I'm a sucker for political dramas, so being in D.C. makes me feel like I'm part of the show. It's silly, but whatever.

Also, my dad keeps on surprising me this weekend. Not only did he demand Christian come on our outing today, but he's also already invited him to spend the week in D.C. _What the hell has gotten into him?_ We're going to need to talk later. I'm not upset that my dad likes my boyfriend. It's quite the opposite actually. I'm just confused as to why my dad seems overly friendly. He's usually not one to take to new people easily, and I'm in shock that he's so taken with the guy who's dating his daughter. He's always had a protective streak over me, so I'm puzzled and delighted that Christian and my father seem to be getting along so well.

After our meal, the Secret Service took us back to the apartment, where Christian politely excused himself despite my father telling him to stay for as long as he wanted. Christian insisted that his mother was expecting him to be home tonight to help with Christmas decorations.

After Christian leaves, I begin questioning my dad.

"Is there a reason why you're obsessed with my boyfriend now?" I question, raising an eyebrow.

"What! You want me to hate your boyfriend?" he retorts.

"Of course not," I reply, "But you seem a little too friendly, dad. What's your game?"

"What game," he tries to brush off my comment.

"You know what I'm talking about," I insist.

"Fine, fine, fine," he relents, "Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

"Dad!" I admonish, "Christian's not your enemy!"

"I know he's not," he replies, "I do like the kid a lot. I think he's impressive. He's the first boyfriend you've had Annie, and you picked one hell of a kid. I can't pick out any flaws about him. But he is dating my daughter. And a father can never be too protective."

I love my dad for trying to protect me even when it's completely unnecessary. I guess that's what fathers are for.

I give my dad a big hug and declare, "I'm so glad you're here daddy."

"Me too, Annie. Me too," he replies.

* * *

 **A/N: Hi readers! I love reading all your reviews! It makes my day!**

 **Just as a side note, if you watch Scandal, you might notice some of the characters. :)**

 **Not sure if I should include some of these extra characters in future chapters like the president and his family. What do you guys think?**


	11. Bonus Ch 3: Siblings

**Bonus Chapter 3 - Siblings**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Hey Mia," I greet as I answer her call.

"Ana!" Mia screeches, "We're going Christmas shopping tomorrow!"

I chuckle to myself. Mia is good at being bossy.

"Sure," I laugh.

"Yay!" she screams, "See you later!"

She hangs up the call before I can say bye.

 _Oh, Mia!_

* * *

 **Mia's POV**

When my brother told me he had a girlfriend, I thought he was lying. I love my big brother, but I think you all know why I'm surprised he was able to land someone like Ana.

Christian's always been independent and solitary. He never mentioned having any friends at school and was kind of a loner. Don't get me wrong, I would hear all these girls talk about how hot they thought my brother was, but he was never interested in any of them.

And then the first week he starts a new school, he's bringing home a friend who happens to be a girl. And gorgeous.

Everyone in my family sees the change in Christian. He laughs more, he smiles more, and overall, he seems happier. We're all so thankful for Ana. My parents were on the brink of sending him away, too. Ana could not have come at a better time.

Anyways, Ana and I have become good friends. She's like the big sister I never had. Plus, she gives great fashion advice, and her closet might be better stocked than mine!

"Christian!" I scream across the hall so that he can hear me in his room.

"What Mia?" he yells back.

"I'm stealing your girlfriend tomorrow!" I shout.

"What?" Oooh, now he sounds mad.

He walks into my room and says, "What are you doing with Ana tomorrow?"

"Shopping," I reply, giving him the sweetest smile possible.

He rolls his eyes at me and whines, "Mia! Ana and I were supposed to hang out tomorrow."

"Sorry!" I try to sound apologetic, "I guess you're going to have to find a new friend."

He definitely looks annoyed at me and starts to walk out.

"You're always welcome to come with us!" I cheer, knowing he would never willingly go on a shopping excursion with me.

He turns his head back and declares, "You're crazy, Mia."

I giggle as Christian shuts my door.

* * *

"What are you going to get my brother?" I ask excitedly when Ana and I arrive at the mall.

"I have no idea!" she huffs. "Any ideas?" she asks me.

"Not a clue," I reply truthfully. If I'm being honest, I have no fucking idea what my brother would like.

"Maybe a watch?" she suggests.

"Hmmm," I ponder, "We can go look at some. That could be a good idea." "Now the more important question," I say with a grin, "What are you getting me?"

Ana laughs at me as we walk into Neiman's. "That's a secret," she quips, and I smile back at her.

* * *

Ana and I are browsing through the ready-to-wear at Neiman's, looking for dresses for the upcoming holiday parties.

"Christian invited you and your dad to Christmas Eve at my house, right?" I ask her.

"Yep," she replies, holding up a bright red skater dress. "What do you think?" she inquires.

"Is that Alexander McQueen?" I ask.

"Yes," Ana replies.

"I love it! Go try it on," I insist.

Ana goes into the dressing room and comes out a few minutes later. _Fuck! Why does she look amazing in everything!_

"You look amazing!" I compliment her.

"Thanks, Mia! Do you think this is good for dinner at your house?"

"Perfect," I reply.

I see Ana take a picture of herself from the mirror. "Sending that to my brother?" I ask with an eyebrow raised.

"How'd you know?" she laughs.

"Call it intuition," I smile back.

Then, Ana declares, "Now it's your turn."

She goes back to the racks of clothing and pulls a maroon fit and flare dress and hands it to me.

"You'll look so good in this," she asserts.

 _Let's hope so!_

* * *

After we both buy our dresses for Christmas dinner, we move onto Christmas presents for friends and family.

"Does Christian even wear watches?" I ask Ana.

"Ummm, I think I've seen him wear them sometimes," she says unsure. "I don't know what else to give him," she pouts.

"I know what you can give him," I say smirking.

"Ewww, Mia!" Ana cries, "That's your brother."

"Haha," I laugh, "You're right. So watch it is then."

* * *

Ana ended up getting Christian a Rolex watch. She better get me one too.

Anyways, I didn't know what to get Christian either. I ended up getting him another pair of his favorite Common Projects sneakers. It might not be the most creative, but at least I know he'll like them.

I got my mom a Louis Vuitton scarf and got my dad a Hermes tie. I also picked up a few things for my friends, while Ana did some more shopping for Christian just for fun. Apparently Christian needs to upgrade his fashion game. Ugh, my brother and Ana are so sickeningly cute.

I need to find a boyfriend.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Hey, idiot," Elliot says from the other side of the phone.

"What's up, Elliot?" I ask, brushing his rudeness off.

I haven't talked to him much since he went to college. We were never close as kids. I guess with my issues, I wasn't the best person to be around. I guess I used to be jealous of Elliot when we were both in high school. He was uber popular and the valedictorian of his class.

He was the golden child for mom and dad, and I was the problem. But I guess not anymore. Ever since Ana came into my life, she's been changing me. Hopefully, my parents can be as proud of me as they were of Elliot.

Anyways, Elliot has called me a few times after he left for college, catching me up on his life. It's safe to say Elliot's a huge manwhore now. And that's an understatement. The guy practically sleeps with a different girl every weekend. Whatever, let's just hope he doesn't get some girl pregnant. Then he'll be the problem child.

As much as I can shit on Elliot, we're brothers. And I do love him, despite us not being as close as most brothers are.

"I'll be home tomorrow," Elliot states.

"Yeah, I know," I reply, "Mom already told me."

"Do I get to meet Ana tomorrow?" he asks hopefully. "Who would've thought my little brother could get a girlfriend. I saw some pictures of her online bro; she's smoking hot."

My blood starts to boil. Nobody, especially my brother, should talk about her like that.

"Elliot," I say sternly, warning him.

"Jeez bro, chill," Elliot grumbles, "I'm not trying to fuck her if that's what you think."

"That's not what I fucking thought," I spit out.

"Okay, whatever," Elliot says, "Pick me up from the airport tomorrow. Bring Ana. I want to meet her."

"I don't think Ana wants to wake up early to see you," I declare.

"Well, I want to meet her," Elliot says like a petulant child.

"How about lunch tomorrow?" I ask.

"Sure," Elliot agrees, "Later bro."

After Elliot hangs up the phone, I text Ana.

 **C:** I hope you're up for meeting Elliot tomorrow

 **A:** Yay! When?

 **C:** Late lunch? Sushi?

 **A:** Yes and yes. See you tomorrow; your sister is yelling at me to get off the phone. She knows I'm texting you. Love you!

 **C:** Love you too xx


	12. Christmas

**A/N: I can't believe it's been a week since I last updated! Sorry for not updating sooner. I really have no excuse. While that may be, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. And to all my readers who celebrate – Happy Hanukkah.**

* * *

 **Chapter 9 - Christmas**

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"C!" Elliot shouts as he gets into my car at SEATAC after putting his bags in the trunk.

"Hey Ell," I greet.

"How's life baby, bro," he asks as I merge into traffic.

"Everything's good. Ana's coming to lunch with us," I inform him.

"Damn, C. I still don't know how you snagged a girl like her," he says laughing.

I glance at him, and he laughs even harder.

"How's college life?" I question, trying to get him to stop making fun of me.

"I'm living the life. All these college girls are so hot, and not to mention easy, too," he boasts.

"Please don't get a girl pregnant," I warn him.

"Don't worry, bro," he chuckles, patting my back, "I always wrap it up."

"Hey, do you mind if we make a stop somewhere?" I ask Elliot, "I have to pick up Ana's Christmas present."

"Sure," Elliot agrees, "Where are we going?"

"Cartier," I state.

"Shit, bro," Elliot's eyes grow wider, "How much money did you spend?"

"Maybe a bit too much," I reply sheepishly, "But it's worth it."

"Damn," Elliot coos, "I better be getting something good this year too."

"Yeah, right. In your dreams," I tease.

* * *

"Hello, Mr. Grey," the doorman at Cartier greets me.

My father's been coming here for years, buying plenty of jewelry for my mother. Most of the employees know all the members of my family. The Grey's are big customers here.

"Oh, Mr. Grey and you as well Mr. Grey," the head jeweler, Mr. Conley, greets Elliot and me, "I have your order ready for you. Would you like to take a look at it first before I box it up?"

"Yes please," I nod.

Elliot follows me as Mr. Conley leads us to a private room in the back.

"You have quite the taste, Mr. Grey," Mr. Conley coos, "I'm sure your girlfriend will love these."

He pulls the pieces from behind the counter and displays them for me to see.

"Holy shit, dude!" Elliot cries, "That's insane."

"Elliot," I warn, giving him a stern look.

"That's much okay, Mr. Grey," Mr. Conley says, "I had much the same reaction myself. These are gorgeous pieces."

"You think?" Elliot says incredulously.

I roll my eyes at my brother and pick up the jewelry I bought for Ana. There's a yellow gold love bracelet covered in diamonds and a ring just like it.

 _I can't fucking wait to put a huge ass engagement ring on Ana's finger._ _But I guess for now, this will have to do._

"Are they to your liking, Mr. Grey," the jeweler asks sweetly.

"They're absolutely perfect," I say smiling, thinking about Ana covered in diamonds.

"Great!" he says clapping his hands together, "I'll box those up for you."

* * *

 **Elliot's POV**

I can't believe the change in my brother over the few short months I was away. He seems happy – like really fucking happy, and it's all because of this girl. Damn it, I'm still wrapping my head around this.

I see a stunning brunette girl walk through the doors and immediately recognize her. She comes walking to our table and sneaks up behind Christian. She puts her hands on his shoulders and gives him a kiss on the cheek.

 _Wait, what the fuck. Did she just touch him? And did he not freak out? Am I in the Twilight zone?_

"You must be Elliot," Ana chirps holding out her hand for me to shake.

Instead of a handshake, I get out of my seat and greet her with a hug. I think I can hear Christian groan in the background. _Haha. Jealous fucker!_

"It's so good to meet you, Ana," I say.

She takes a seat on Christian's side of the booth, and Christian pulls her closer to him. _Okay, bro. Possessive I see._

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Oh my gosh. You can't be serious," I say uncontrollably laughing at one of Elliot's college stories.

"I'm serious," Elliot declares, "It was fucking crazy. Imagine walking in on a threesome. Not ideal."

"Did he at least have a sock on the door?" I giggle.

"Nope," Elliot quips, "I want to bleach my eyes. 2 guys and 1 girl is not my cup of tea." "What about you, Christian?" Elliot teases, "You up for a threesome?"

I laugh while Christian gives him a death glare. "I don't share," he states gruffly, pulling me closer towards him.

"It was only a joke, baby," I say, picking up a piece of sushi and feeding it to Christian.

"Yeah, baby," Elliot mocks, "Learn how to take a joke."

"Hey!" I chastise, "You too, Elliot."

He puts his hands up and relents, "Whatever you say, Ana."

"Good," I say authoritatively, "That's what I thought."

The waiter comes around to deliver us more plates of sushi. _God this stuff is delicious!_

I then hear my phone buzz in my purse. _Crap, that might be my dad!_

"Sorry guys," I apologize, rummaging through my purse to find my phone.

I look at the caller ID and it's not my dad. It's Jerry. _Fuck, Christian's going to go ballistic if he knows._

I really shouldn't take the call. I don't want Christian to cause a scene in front of his brother. But I haven't heard from Jerry in a while. I really do miss talking to him. _Ahh!_

My hands seem to make the decision for me as I realize I've pressed the answer button.

"I have to take this, guys. Excuse me," I say getting up from the table and head outside.

"Hey Jer," I greet him cheerfully.

"Ana!" he roars at the other end, "I've missed you. Washington is boring without you."

"I know," I coo, "I miss you too." "What's up though?" I ask wondering why he's called me.

"My dad told me you're coming to visit in February. And that you're bringing a boyfriend," he says giddily.

 _See, there's not even a hint of jealousy in his voice. We're like brother and sister. Christian has nothing to worry about._

"Well, your dad was right," I inform him, "I'm coming for ski week. And yes – I am bringing my boyfriend."

"OH MY GOD," Jerry screams, "I can't believe little Ana has a boyfriend."

"Oh shut up," I say giggling.

"What's his name," Jerry asks eagerly.

"Christian," I reply smiling at the mention of his name.

I take a peek through the window into the restaurant and see Christian staring daggers at me. _Shit. Did he see the caller ID?_

I think he did. _Fuck._ He looks really angry.

"I'm happy for you, Ana," Jerry's voice rings in my ear.

"Thanks, Jer. That means a lot coming from you," I say honestly. I look back at Christian and he still looks upset. "Jer, I'm sorry, but I really have to go," I say hastily, "It was so nice talking to you. We really need to talk more often."

"Noted, Ana Banana," he laughs, using my old nickname. "I'll call you soon. I promise," he declares.

"Bye Jer," I say, hanging up the phone.

"Bye Ana."

After I end the call, I walk back into the restaurant and hear Elliot trying to engage Christian in a conversation while Christian is brooding.

With Elliot being so easy going, we easily fall back into a casual conversation while finishing our meal.

Christian, on the other hand, is barely saying a word. I grab his hand underneath the table, and coyly whisper into his ear, "Can we please talk about this later."

He stiffly nods his head and focuses his attention back on his food.

After we're done eating, Christian tosses Elliot the keys to his car and asks, "Ell, do you mind getting the car? I need to talk to Ana."

"Sure thing, bro," Elliot responds. Before leaving he gives me another hug and says, "It was so nice to meet you, Ana. I'll see you tomorrow at dinner?"

"You will," I reply smiling as Elliot leaves and walks around the corner.

"Why did he call you," Christian spits out referring to Jerry.

"Are you mad or something," I question angrily.

There's an air of silence.

"You have no right to be mad at me Christian," I scream at him.

"No, no," Christian says running his hands through his hair, "I'm not mad."

"Then what is it," I say with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm fucking jealous," he roars, "Is that what you wanted to hear? I'm so fucking jealous. And I have no idea why."

My poor baby. I knew he was insecure, but I didn't know it ran this deep.

I pull him towards me and wrap my small frame around his.

"Christian," I say tenderly, "We've been over this already. I love _you._ You, baby. No one else."

"I know that baby," he says nuzzling his head in my shoulder. "I know I'm being completely irrational, but I can't help it."

"What can I do?" I ask.

He grabs both of my hands and lays a kiss on each one. "It's my problem, baby. Not yours. I'm sorry I got so angry with you today. That was wrong of me. I just have to remind myself that he's been your friend for a long time. And that's it, nothing else."

"I love you, Christian," is all I can say in response.

I give him a quick kiss on the cheek, being mindful that we're still in public.

"I better get going," I state, knowing my dad wants to spend as much time with me as he can while he's here.

Christian gives me a pouty face and says, "I'll see you tomorrow baby."

"Laters, baby," I smile, and Christian plants a lingering kiss on my lips causing me to blush.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"What the fuck was that?" Elliot bombards me with a question when I get into the car.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that thing with Ana. What the hell were you so upset about."

 _Ugh, why does my brother have to be so nosy! I guess it runs in the family._

"You know how Ana's dad works for the president?" I ask.

"Yeah, dad mentioned it," Elliot comments.

"Well, Ana's been friends with the president son since they were babies," I inform him.

"And you're jealous," Elliot cuts me off.

"Hell yeah! Of course, I'm jealous," I reply, "Who wouldn't be?"

"Was that who called her in the middle of lunch today?" Elliot inquires.

"Yep," I reply nodding my head.

"You looked like you wanted to kill someone," Elliot jokes.

"Very funny, Elliot," I say sarcastically.

"A little advice baby bro," Elliot begins.

"I don't think I want any advice from you," I quip, "I don't want to fuck a different girl every weekend."

"Hey!" Elliot pretends to be offended, "It's not a different girl every week. It's more like every other week."

"Oh, like that makes it so much better!" I cry.

"Yes it does," Elliot declares, "But that's irrelevant right now. I did have a girlfriend in high school if you recall."

"Yes, I remember."

"Well, I think I'm pretty qualified to give dating advice."

"Okay, shoot," I relent.

"You have nothing to worry about," he remarks, "Ana looks at you the same way you look at her. You two crazy kids are so in love with each other. Don't let some preppy boy ruin it for you."

"Wow," I say surprised, "That was actually really insightful Ell."

"It's the Yale education," he jokes, and it gets me to laugh.

* * *

 _Christmas Eve Dinner at the Grey House_

 **Ana's POV**

"Are you ready, Annie?" my dad shouts at me from downstairs.

I'm currently checking out my outfit in the mirror. I'm wearing the red Alexander McQueen skater dress I bought with Mia. I accessorized the dress with a Gucci belt, matching Gucci block heels, black Gucci tights, and a black and gold Hermes clic-clac H bracelet. I paired the outfit with a black Gucci Sylvie bag and put on a Burberry wool coat to finish the look.

I remember to grab the small gift bag I put Christian's watch in. I have a larger gift box for Christian filled with new clothes, but I won't bother giving that to him today. I also have a more naughty gift to give Christian, but I'll have to give that to him when we're alone. I'll bring it to his house anyway in case we get a moment alone.

I have to remember to pick up Mia's present that I bought for her yesterday after having lunch with Christian and Elliot. I got her a matching Hermes bracelet that I know she'll absolutely love.

I didn't know what to get Elliot, but I knew he played football. Christian suggested NFL tickets, so I got Elliot four tickets to go see the Seahawks play the Patriots in Boston.

My dad is supposed to be bringing the Grey's some wine, so I don't have to worry about getting them a present.

I mentally check off everything on my list that I needed to take care of, and I take one last look in the mirror before I yell back at my dad, "I'll be down in a minute."

"Hurry up Annie," he shouts, "We don't want to be late."

I put on bright red lipstick to pull the look together and rush down the stairs.

"You look great as always, Annie," he says giving me a kiss on the cheek.

"Thanks daddy," I sweetly reply. "Are you driving?" I ask.

"No," he replies, "Secret Service."

"Seriously," I comment, rolling my eyes.

"Oh, lighten up Annie," he demands, "It's the holiday season. Only happy thoughts."

* * *

When we arrive at the Grey's estate, my dad and I are both in awe of the Christmas decorations. The house looks absolutely beautiful, decorated with a plethora of lights, wreaths, ribbon, and garland. It looks like a winter wonderland. The only thing that's missing is snow. At least it's not raining!

Dad and I walk up to the large double doors. I have my presents for Christian, Elliot, and Mia in a bag, and my dad has a bottle of Dom Perignon and a bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon for the adults. Christian and I will have to sneak a glass or two.

Grace opens the door and gives me a hug.

"Oh, Ana! It's so great to see you again," Grace says.

"You too Grace!" I reply. "This is my dad Ray," I say motioning towards my dad.

"Ray Steele," my dad says holding out his hand.

"Grace," she counters, shaking his hand.

"Come in guys," she declares. "Ana, Mia is in the kitchen trying to teach Elliot and Christian how to decorate cookies. I think they probably need your help."

I walk to towards the kitchen, leaving my dad to talk to Grace.

"Ana!" Mia screams when I walk in, "I need your help over here. These idiots are ruining the cookies."

Christian and Elliot both look helpless in the kitchen. It's comical, really.

"Hey baby," Christian says with icing all over his hands.

"You might want to wash your hands before you touch me," I giggle.

"Ana!" Elliot shouts, "You've got to help us out here."

There are about 4 dozen beautifully baked gingerbread cookies cut out into different shapes: Christmas trees, ornaments, gingerbread men, mistletoe, candy canes, and snowmen.

Mia's cookies look professionally done, decorated skillfully with different colors of icing.

Christian and Elliot's cookies look like a Kindergarten project.

"I don't think Santa wants to eat those cookies," I joke.

"Ana's right," Mia joins, "Throw those away. Those are sooo ugly."

Elliot tosses some of the ruined cookies in the trash. "I'll just leave this job for you two," he says referring to Mia and me.

"Hey baby," Christian says. He comes up behind me, wraps his arms around my waist, and leaves kisses all over my neck.

"Stop molesting her bro," Elliot chuckles.

I turn my head and see Christian roll his eyes at his brother.

"Are you going to help me decorate, baby?" I ask as I take a cookie from one of the cooling racks.

"I'll be here for moral support," he smiles.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

 _Fuck!_ Ana's wearing this little red dress tonight, and I just want to bend her over something and fuck her.

She's teasing me too. She keeps biting her lip, and she knows what that does to me.

Ana and Mia are still decorating cookies. At this point, Elliot and I are watching, and munching on their creations.

"Stop eating my cookies!" Ana scolds me.

I smirk and retort, "I love eating your cookies."

She elbows me in the gut and Elliot and Mia both burst out into laughter.

"Hey mom," Mia chirps as Grace walks into the kitchen.

"Your dad is having drinks with Carrick," Grace says to Ana. "Why don't you kids clean up, and help me get dinner ready and set the table."

"Yes ma'am," we all mumble.

Ana and I walk to the dining with Grace's special Christmas china.

"Wait," I stop her as we reach the end of the corridor.

"What?" she questions.

"Look," I say darting my eyes to what is dangling from the ceiling.

She smiles brightly and whispers, "We're under the mistletoe."

"You know what that means," I say flirtatiously as she bites her lip.

I back her into the wall and kiss her.

"We have to be careful of the plates," she reminds me when we break for air.

"Fuck the plates," I mumble into her mouth and go back to kissing her.

"Ahem," someone clears their throat trying to get our attention.

Our heads turn to the source of the sound, and it's Ana's dad giving us a stern look from across the hall.

 _Shit._ Not the best position to be caught in with a man's daughter.

"Hey, daddy," Ana says sheepishly.

"Why don't you go set the table," he says, "You don't want to break those plates."

"Yes sir," I reply.

Ray chuckles at us and walks away.

I'm stunning, but when Ray is out of earshot, Ana bursts into laughter.

"Ana!" I exclaim.

"It's okay, Christian," she reasons, "My dad won't be upset. He's not naive. I think he knows what goes on between us."

"I'd rather him not have physical evidence."

"Lighten up, baby." She gives me a kiss on the cheek and goes to set the table.

* * *

After dinner, Grace wanted everyone to gather in the living room where the tree was so everyone could open their one early Christmas Eve present.

I asked my mom if Ana and I could take a walk for a few minutes, and she obliged. I'm going to take her to the boathouse. That's where I have her gift stashed.

Ana grabbed a bag from the foyer, which I'm assuming is my gift. She definitely had the same idea as me.

As usual, Grace went all out with the Christmas decorations this year. And the boathouse is no exception.

Ana and I settle down in the little nook of the boathouse where Grace so conveniently put up a mini Christmas tree.

"Open my gift first," Ana says excitedly as we sit down.

Ana has two gift bags: a green Rolex bag and a red gift bag with gold tissue paper.

She holds out the Rolex bag first. Wow, I wonder what it is…

Ana has the cutest little smile on her face. I reach into the bag expecting to find a box, but all I feel is soft fabric.

"Are you trying to trick me?" I joke.

"You'll love them."

In the bag, there are two Armani ties. Hmm, odd. Is Ana trying to tell me I need to dress more professional?

"You can wear them," she says biting her lip, "Or you could do something else with them. Like tie me up."

Fuck! I felt that go right to my dick. I love when my baby gets freaky.

"Mmmm," I say kissing her on the lips, "I love how you think."

I cup one of her breasts in my hand and she interrupts, "Behave, Grey. Not right now. But I promise you that you can have your wicked way with me later."

"Now for the real gift," she says handing me the red gift bag.

This time when I reach into the bag I feel a large velvet box. Ahhh, the watch.

When I open the box, I'm not surprised at how stunning the watch is. Ana has impeccable taste.

"Look on the inside," Ana comments.

Engraved on the back of the face of the watch is three words: 'Ana and Christian.'

"I love it, baby," I muse, giving her another kiss.

Now I'm even more excited to give her my present. Hopefully, she'll see the meaning behind the ring and she'll see how committed I am to her.

"Now it's my turn," I say giddily.

I walk over to one of the cabinets and pull out the Cartier bag. I secretly slip out the small box the ring is in and put it in my pocket.

Ana's eyes light up when I bring the bag over to her. My baby sure loves her diamonds.

"Merry Christmas, baby," I say handing her the gift.

She opens the signature red Cartier jewelry box and her eyes light up.

"It's a love bracelet," I explain.

"I know what it is," she says smiling. She focuses her eyes on mine and continues, "It's beautiful. Will you put it on me?"

"Of course, baby." I take the bracelet out of the box and use the screwdriver to lock it into place on her left wrist.

She holds up her arm to the ceiling so the moonlight perfectly hits the diamonds.

"I have something else for you," I say grinning.

"Christian," she exclaims, "This is already more than enough."

I pull out the small box from my pocket.

I pop open the box, and Ana's eyes go glassy.

"This is a promise ring," I explain. "I promise that I'll always love you. I promise that I'll always be here for you. I promise I'll always trust you. I promise that one day I'm going to marry you."

A tear rolls down her cheek as she holds out her left hand for me to put the ring on her.

I slide the ring on her ring finger, dreaming of the day I'll put a real engagement ring on that finger.

"I'll be expecting a bigger diamond when you propose for real," she jokes.

"How about a diamond as big as a golf ball?"

"Okay, maybe a little smaller than that," she giggles.

A knock on the door startles me and Ana.

"You two better not be naked," Elliot's voice rings through the walls.

"We're not, idiot," I scream back.

"Okay, bro. Mom wants you guys to come back. We're opening presents now."

"Alright, we'll be there."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Grace works magic in the kitchen, so naturally, the dinner was sublime. She made a crown roast of lamb, potatoes au gratin, glazed carrots, cheese gnocchi, and roasted vegetables.

There was also amazing dessert: the cookies Mia and I decorated, ice cream, pecan pie, apple pie, and a pumpkin spice cake.

I'm positively stuffed.

After dinner, Grace had everyone gather in the living room around the fireplace and the tree. Christian and I are sharing a loveseat and are sipping on our hot chocolate in cute festive mugs.

My dad, Christian's family, and I are gathering around the fireplace and the tree sipping on our hot chocolate in cute, festive mugs.

Grace grabs four uniform boxes wrapped in red and white striped paper and gives one to me, Christian, Elliot, and Mia.

"Ugh, mom. Again?" Elliot complains.

"Mom! These are not fashion forward," Mia exclaims.

I give Christian a confused look, wondering what is in the box.

"Open it," he mouths to me.

We all open our boxes and pull out the same pair of red and white striped pajamas.

Grace claps her hands and exclaims, "You have to put them on so you all can take a picture in front of the tree."

The Grey siblings all groan, and I hear laughs from my dad and Carrick.

I know the Grey siblings are definitely over wearing the same pajamas, but I think it's cute. Not coming from a big family, I never had traditions like this in my household.

Despite their grunts, mumbles, and oppositions to the matching pj's, we all go upstairs to change.

"Ugh! My mom makes us do this every year, Ana," Mia says exasperated as we're changing into our pj's, "I'm sorry she dragged you into this one."

I laugh, "I think it's charming, Mia."

She scoffs and replies, "You won't be saying that after a few more years after this. I swear she'll still make us do this when we're adults.

"I'd love to see her try," I giggle.

I already have my pj's on, while Mia seems to be purposely taking all the time in the world.

"Alright," she says when she finally gets the pj's on, "Let's go down."

* * *

We all walk downstairs together. Grace's eyes light up and I can hear laughs from my dad and Carrick.

"You guys look terrific," my dad comments.

"Go stand by the tree. Let me take a picture," Grace commands.

"You look cute," I tease Christian when we pose in front of the tree.

"Smile, kids," Grace says cheerfully.

We all listen to her and put on our happy faces for the sake of the photo.

"Perfect," Grace says happily.

"Can we go change now, mom?" Mia whines.

"Yeah, I'm really not feeling the costumes this year mom," Elliot remarks.

"Alright, go ahead," Grace relents.

"I think we should keep them on," I whisper to Christian, "You really can pull off anything."

"I look ridiculous, baby," Christian pouts.

Mia and Elliot run upstairs to change back.

"Oh!" Grace exclaims, "Ana and Christian, you have to take a photo by yourselves. You look absolutely darling."

"Annie," my dad joins in, "I have to send a photo to Fitz. He'll probably do the same thing with his kids."

"Come on, baby," I say, dragging Christian over to the tree again.

This time my dad and Grace are both on the other end of us taking photos.

"All you're missing is a Santa hat," I giggle to Christian.

"Only for you, Mrs. Claus," he whispers into my ear.

* * *

 _Christmas Day_

 **Christian's POV**

I wake up to a good morning text from Ana along with a very naughty picture of her in a sexy elf costume.

 _God damn!_ I haven't been able to fuck her in a week because her dad's been in town. I think my hand hurts from jacking off so much. God, I miss her.

Ana's spending the whole day with her dad, so sadly I won't get to see her today.

As per tradition, we were woken up early by the heavenly smell of mom's famous cinnamon buns. Mia came crashing down the stairs, excited to open all her presents. Surprisingly, I'm grateful that Elliot was able to make it. It gives Mia one more person to annoy.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I'm so grateful that I'm able to spend Christmas with my dad. Even though I really miss Christian, I know I need to spend some time alone with my dad, especially on Christmas.

When I woke up this morning, I sent a cute little picture to Christian of me in a sexy elf costume. I'll be his sexy worker elf any day. _Haha._

"Merry Christmas, Annie," my dad says, kissing me on the cheek.

"Merry Christmas, daddy," I reply.

"That's quite a gift," my dad comments, looking at the diamond love bracelet on my wrist.

"Christian is very thoughtful," I muse.

"Or just rich," he snarks.

"I thought you liked him, daddy?" I ask inquisitively.

"I do, Annie," he admits, "But you'll always be my baby girl. It's my job to protect you."

"Christian's a good guy."

"That doesn't stop a father from worrying."

* * *

My dad was quite extravagant with the gifts this year. I think it's because he feels guilty that he lives almost 3,000 miles away from me.

My dad practically overfilled the bottom of the tree with gifts for me. _Hey, it's not like I'm complaining._

I got a pair of Louis Vuitton platform boots I was coveting, Burberry sweaters, some new Hermes handbags, a pair of Van Cleef & Arpels earrings, a signed first edition of Breakfast at Tiffany's (Audrey Hepburn is my life inspiration), the whole Louboutin spring collection in advance, some Chanel makeup I've been meaning to pick up, a Harvard sweatshirt (nice one dad!), a limited edition pink Chanel boy bag, and did I forget to mention a new car?!

It's a cherry red Ferrari. _Thank you, dad!_ I finally have Christian beat in the car department. Maybe he'll race me and let me beat him. But I doubt it though.

After opening presents, I made lunch for my dad and I. Even though it wasn't festive, I made my dad's favorite: mac & cheese.

My dad and I are currently sitting on the couch watching dumb Christmas movies.

I'm admiring the ring Christian gave me that is sitting on my ring finger. It truly is beautiful and a work of art. Every time I look at it, I'm reminded of the promise Christian made to me. It warms my heart and makes me happy.

I cannot wait to be Mrs. Grey one day. I definitely wouldn't be opposed to getting married right after high school. What's stopping us anyways? Other than people's judgments about two young kids getting married, there's nothing stopping us emotionally or financially. Who cares what other people think.

I can only pray that Christian doesn't wait to propose to me. I really should drop hints that I want to get married young. But knowing Christian and how impatient he is, I wouldn't put it past him to propose the second we both turn 18.

We'll see where life takes us!

* * *

 **A/N: Next chapter Ana and Christian will be visiting Washington D.C. together! We'll see how Christian reacts to meeting Jerry!**

 **Also don't forget to check out my Pinterest board for this story! My username is amandamendess01**


	13. Washington DC Part 1

**Chapter 10 – Washington D.C. Part 1**

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Baby, hurry up. The car's going to leave without us," I scream from downstairs at Ana's apartment.

"I'm hurrying," she shouts back frantically.

Ana and I are going to Washington D.C. to visit her dad for ski-week. Her dad will be working for most of our time there, but that means I'll have Ana all to myself. I'm going to fuck her in every way imaginable.

Ever since she gave me those ties for Christmas, we've been experimenting more and more with bondage. Ana fucking loves when she's at my mercy, and it turns me on even more. There's something about me dominating her that makes both of us crazy desperate for each other. Ana's a little freak in bed, and I wouldn't have it any other way.

"Baby?" I press.

Ana comes crashing down the stairs with her Louis Vuitton luggage.

"I told you I was hurrying," she shouts as one of her bags rolls down the stairs, "Are you going to help me?"

I smirk and come running to save her from her tumbling bags.

* * *

When Ana and I arrive at the airport, the private plane is ready for our departure.

"I can't believe my dad chartered us a plane," Ana exclaims.

"He must really like me," I joke.

The plane is really nice though – Ana and I are definitely flying to D.C. in style. There's even a bedroom on this plane. I think we'll be joining the mile high club today.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

When we get to the tarmac, a tacky blonde flight attendant who is showing way too much cleavage comes to get our bags.

She looks up and down Christian, and I glare at her. Bitch, eyes off my man! You're way too old for him. _Ugh, just disgusting!_

To make the point that he's _mine_ , I fawn all over him. Christian, being oblivious as men are, doesn't even take notice to the whorish flight attendant.

"Excuse me?" I speak up. "Would you mind taking a picture of us?" I ask the flight attendant holding out my phone.

For a brief moment, she looks at me like I'm crazy, but then plasters a fake smile back on her face.

We're currently standing at the top of the plane steps, and the bimbo takes a few steps back further into the plane.

"Oh, I actually meant down there," I state condescendingly pointing to the tarmac. "I think it would look super cute if you took one of us on the steps from that angle," I say placing my hand possessively on Christian's chest.

The flight attendant whose name I completely missed complies and walks down the stairs. I wish we could take off and leave her here in the dust.

Christian gives me a knowing glance while we both smile for the photo. He puts his hand on the small of my back, dips me down, and kisses me.

I can hear the woman gasp, and I laugh into the kiss while she hopefully snaps some good photos.

Serves the bitch right. _My man. Mine._

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Ana and I take our seats in preparation for departure.

"There's a bedroom in here," I whisper seductively into her ear.

She bites her lip and smirks.

"You have a dirty mind, Mr. Grey," she muses, "You and your kinky fuckery."

"Kinky fuckery?" I repeat, laughing.

"Yes, kinky fuckery."

"You love my kinky fuckery," I say, nibbling on her upper neck.

* * *

Once we reach altitude, Ana is the first to jump my bones. She drags me to the bedroom and starts ripping off my clothes.

Oh, baby. She should know by know that I'm in charge.

She goes to undo my belt, but instead I pick her up and toss her on the bed. I climb on the bed too, so I cower over her.

Ana bites her lip in anticipation, and I can feel my dick start to strain in my pants.

My eyes roam up and down her body, and my baby sighs. Impatient, I see.

"Christian," she whines.

"What?" I smile.

She puts her hands around my neck and pulls me into a kiss.

"Christian…" she moans, "Fuck me already."

"Delayed gratification," I smile against her lips.

"I need instant gratification." She forcefully starts pushing my pants down.

"You're far too dressed," I whisper, unbuttoning her jeans.

She pulls off her sweater herself, and fuck me. She's wearing a matching set of red lingerie. She knows that's my favorite color on her.

I expertly unclasp her bra and start sucking on one of her nipples.

She cries, "Oh, Christian." I fucking love hearing her moan out my name.

I then focus my attention on the other nipple and flick my fingers over her clit.

"Christian, please," she begs.

She grabs onto my cock, lining it up with her entrance.

I dip the head in just a little bit to tease her, and she doesn't look pleased.

She whines and claws at my back, trying to coax me all the way in.

I take her wrists into my hand and push them over her head, pinning her hands to the bed. Oh, I'm definitely in control now baby.

She whimpers and I fully sheath myself inside her in one stroke.

"Fuck," I murmur. She feels like absolute heaven, so fucking warm and tight.

I pump my length into her at a slow pace and she moans louder and louder with each thrust.

When I hit her g-spot, she screams at the top of her lungs in pleasure. Fuck, I'm sure the whole plane heard that.

"That's it, baby," I whisper, still pumping into her.

I pick up the pace and her cute little moans start to increase in volume. Those sexy noises she makes are turning me on even more, and I fuck her harder.

I feel her walls start tightening and her eyes close in ecstasy. I know she's about to cum, so I move my hand in between us and play with her clit again, this time rubbing the small nub hard and fast.

I see a bead of sweat drip down her forehead and she moans incoherently, "God, baby. I… I… I'm going to cum."

"Cum for me Ana," I moan, pinching her nipple.

She screams like a banshee as she loses herself to her orgasm. Fuck, I don't think she's even been this loud before.

I pump a few times more inside her before I spill my seed into her. I let go of her wrists and roll to her side. My cum is leaking out of her, and fuck if there's anything sexier than that.

Like usual, Ana nuzzles her head into my neck, and I wrap my arms around her to keep her warm.

"You were very loud today, baby," I comment chuckling.

"You're mine," she pouts.

"Jealous?"

"Very. That flight attendant needs to learn how to keep her eyes to herself."

I laugh at Ana's irrationality.

"One day I'm going to buy a private jet," I muse.

She rolls her eyes at responds, "I'm sure you can already afford one right now."

While that may be true, I can picture building an empire and becoming successful all on my own – no assistance from my parents needed.

"How does Grey Incorporated sound?" I ask, thinking of names for my future international company.

"I don't like it," she replies, "Sounds lame. Too basic."

"Any ideas?"

She has her thinking cap on, and her cute concentrated face makes my dick stir again.

"Grey Enterprises," she states, "It has a better ring to it."

"Grey Enterprises," I repeat.

* * *

After making love three more times, Ana and I fall asleep wrapped in each other's arms.

I am woken up by the pilot through the intercom.

"Ms. Steele, Mr. Grey, we are starting our descent to Dulles. We'll be landing shortly – about 20 minutes. If you could please return to your seats."

Ana is still sound asleep beside me, having been thoroughly fucked.

I caress her face and kiss her on the cheek. "Wake up baby," I whisper into her ear.

"Mmmm," she mumbles, "Noooo."

"We're almost to D.C., baby," I try coaxing her from her deep sleep, "The pilot wants us to get back in our seats."

She barely opens her eyes and gives me her irresistible pouty face.

"Can you get my clothes?" she asks me.

I hop out of bed naked and run around the bedroom looking for our clothes that were thrown off in the heat of the moment.

"You have a really cute ass," she giggles, and I wink at her.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

My dad sent the Secret Service to pick us up. Ugh! These stupid goons are probably going to report everything about what I'm doing to my dad.

My dad has a townhouse in Georgetown, so I was surprised when he told me the president invited Christian and me to stay at Blair House. I was even more surprised that my dad is going to let me stay with Christian all alone in a very big house.

He probably figures that Christian stays over at my apartment since I live alone. Does he think we have sex? _Gah, I can't think of that anymore._

Christian and I are sitting in the back of a Suburban being driven by two huge Secret Service agents.

"My dad's going to meet us at Blair House," I inform him, "He's probably going to have to go back to work after, so we'll have the whole day to ourselves."

"What do we have planned today?" he asks smiling.

"We can take a stroll through the mall. The capitol is gorgeous at night."

"Sounds like a plan, baby," he says placing a chaste kiss on my lips.

"We're going to the White House tomorrow," I tell him, "Uncle Fitz wants to meet you."

"Uncle Fitz," he says laughing, "Like as in the President?" His face looks shocked.

"Yes, the president," I giggle, "He's not intimidating. I promise."

My beautiful boy still looks nervous. "Really," I encourage, "You'll love him."

"And Jerry?" he inquires.

"I'm sure he'll be there too tomorrow. His sister Karen is Mia's age, I'm sure they would be friends," I comment.

"They're like a second family to you," he states sincerely.

"Yeah, my mom was never really in my life. The Grants have always been there for me. Karen and Jerry are my honorary siblings. Olivia and Fitz have been such great role models for me, and even though I had my dad, they always treated me like one of theirs."

I look up at Christian through my thick lashes as he rubs circles along my back.

"Promise me you won't be territorial and short with Jerry," I ask, "I know you have reason to be jealous, but I swear he's like my brother."

"I'll try," he responds, "I know I can be irrational sometimes. It's only because I love you."

I look into his grey eyes and still see an insecure boy. Oh, fifty, I wish I could fix your past and take away all your pain.

"Enough of that," I state, changing the subject to something much more upbeat, "We're going to have so much fun in D.C. I love it here, and experiencing the city with you will be even more memorable."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Last night, Ana and I took a leisurely stroll around the mall and saw the Capitol Building. It's safe to say we were both exhausted. However, once we got back to Blair House there was very little sleeping if you catch my drift.

Today, we're meeting the President and his family. To say I'm nervous would be an understatement. I mean, I'm meeting the President of the freaking United States of America. That's a huge fucking deal. Fuck, what should I wear? I mean is there like a dress code or something?! Oh, lord now I sound like a girl.

I'm still a bit apprehensive to meet Jerry, but by the way Ana let me fuck her brains out last night, I know there's nothing I need to worry about. That idiot preppy fucker doesn't have a chance at stealing my girl. She's all mine.

Ana's bare body is wrapped like a vine around mine, and I can feel my dick start to stir. Would it be bad to maul her in her sleep? …Probably.

"Baby, wake up," I whisper, nibbling on her earlobe.

She moans and her leg brushes against my hard-on. _Fuck._

She opens those gorgeous ocean blue eyes and grins at me.

"Shower?" she muses.

She doesn't have to ask me twice. I easily pick up her light body and drag her to the bathroom amid her endless giggles.

* * *

After getting clean, then getting dirty, then getting clean again, Ana and I are now getting ready side by side at the double vanity.

She's wrapped in a plush Frette towel and is doing her hair and makeup. She looks absolutely delectable.

I take a look in the mirror, and we are looking terribly domestic. I could get used to this.

"Uncle Fitz is excited to meet you," Ana comments while brushing her hair.

"The President of the United States is excited to meet little old me?" I chuckle.

"Of course he is. He wants to meet the guy who stole my heart."

"And what is this guy supposed to wear to meet Uncle Fitz?"

"Don't worry about it, baby," she giggles, "I'll dress you." _She did pack most of my clothes, anyway._

She scurries off into the bedroom holding on to her towel for modesty's sake. _Oh, baby. I don't think you need that towel._

"Christian, come over here," she yells from the bedroom.

She's rummaging through my suitcase and starts throwing pieces of clothing at me. She tosses me a light grey cashmere sweater and black jeans.

"Get dressed," she encourages, "I'll pick out the rest of your outfit."

Like a good boy, I do as I'm told. I have to say, Ana really does have an eye for fashion. I look pretty damn good.

She lays out a black wool Burberry overcoat, a black check Burberry scarf, a Moncler beanie, and a Rolex watch on the bed then gets to work on her own outfit.

I watch as Ana puts on a pair of black jeans, a black oversized sweater, a white overcoat, a white check Burberry scarf, and a Moncler beanie.

I never thought I'd be in a couple, let alone in a couple who tastefully coordinates their outfits.

"You look stunning, baby," I compliment her.

"I know," she quips.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian and I are on our way to the White House via a chauffeured bulletproof Suburban. I can't wait to see Uncle Fitz, Jerry, Karen, and Aunt Liv again. It feels like forever since I was last here.

A short car ride later, we're pulling into the gates of the White House. For someone who hasn't been in this environment before, it can be quite overwhelming.

As always, the White House is abuzz. There are interns, junior staffers, and even senior staffers running around like their lives depend on it. There are also gaggles of reporters looking for any possible leaks or slip-ups from White House staff.

The agents who drove Christian and I here are escorting us to the White House lobby. I take Christian's hand as he looks in awe of his surroundings.

It's then I hear a familiar voice call out my name.

"Ana!" Karen Grant shouts from across the room and comes barreling towards me full force. Now that I think about it, she reminds me so much of Mia. She looks quite chic, wearing a pair of black knitted twill pants, a white blouse, and black heels.

"Oh, Karen," I gush, enveloping her in a big hug, "It's so good to see you."

"And who's this hottie?" she inquires looking at Christian, and I blush.

"This is _my_ boyfriend. Christian Grey," I introduce them. "Christian, this is Karen Grant, but we all call her Baby K around her," I tease.

"It's nice to meet you," Christian says, holding out his hand.

Karen ignores it and goes right in for a hug.

Christian looks at me with wide-eyes, shocked that the First Daughter is hugging him right now. I laugh and give him a sly wink.

"Jerry will be down from the residence anytime now," Karen says, "You know how he is with his hair. Oh, mom and dad are so glad that you guys could make the trip. It was getting dull around here without you. That reminds me. We've run out of ideas on how to prank the Secret Service agents. Jerry and I have been reusing pranks, and these goons are too smart and see it coming."

 _Jeez, I forgot how much this girl can talk!_ I really need to get her in touch with Mia. I have a feeling they would be great friends.

Karen continues babbling, "Oh my lord, Ana. Those shoes are amazing. Saint Laurent right?"

"Yeah," I giggle.

"Ugh, I'm so jealous of your wardrobe. Dad's staff is always micromanaging everything I wear. You can't have the first daughter looking like a spoiled brat with designer brands. Ugh, it's so infuriating. Do you know where these shoes are from, Ana? Steve Madden! I'm practically slumming it around here."

"If I didn't know what you were wearing, I'd say you look like a million bucks," Christian smiles, laying on the charm.

"Aw, that's so sweet of you," Karen coos, "Ana, girl. You better keep this one around."

"I plan on it."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Karen Grant might be more exuberant than Mia. Crazy, I know. She has light caramel colored skin and dark brown hair. She's fairly taller than Ana and exudes confidence.

The girls are talking about fashion, and I'm just drowning it out. I hear someone shout from across the hall, "Ana Banana!" they say much too enthusiastically, and I know exactly who it is.

Jerry Grant, more formally known as Fitzgerald Grant IV, son of the President of the United States, comes stalking over towards Ana and envelops her in a hug.

The fucker is impeccably dressed in a suit and tie. He's about my height, well built, same caramel colored skin as his sister, and he looks straight out of a Vineyard Vines catalog. Preppy fuck.

"Jer-bear!" Ana says, matching his enthusiasm.

He rests her hand on her shoulder, and my first thought is that I want to punch this idiot. _God, why am I so jealous?_

After he lets go of _my girl_ , he turns to me and holds out his hand. "Jerry Grant," he states.

"Christian Grey," I say rather curtly, sizing him up. _Hah, I could take him in a fight. No problem._

After that much awkward introduction, Jerry says to all of us, "Mom and dad are meeting us in the Green Room. Dad's just finishing up with a meeting, and mom's still getting ready."

We follow Jerry to the Green Room, and he gives us little tidbits of information about rooms we pass along the way. Who the fuck is he trying to impress with his useless knowledge? Well, I'm definitely not impressed. Instinctively, I grab Ana's hand and lace it with mine, claiming her.

"This is the Green Room," Jerry continues spewing useless facts, "The architect intended it to be used as a common dining room, but in 1800 it was first used as a lodging room. Thomas Jefferson used the room as a dining room, while James Madison used it as a sitting room, and the Monroes used it as a card room for games amongst their guests. Fun fact – James Madison signed the nation's first declaration of war in this room. It was the War of 1812 and resulted in the British burning down the White House."

Even though some of the things Jerry just said are pretty interesting, I want to punch that stupid mouth of his so he shuts up. Being inside the White House is such an honor, but because that preppy kid who drools over Anastasia is showing us around, all I can think about is how much I want to pummel him to the ground. Despite loving history, all this information Jerry is spewing is going in one ear and right out the other.

Before I can interrupt, Karen says sarcastically, "Thanks for the details of _our_ house Jer-bear."

"Hey, Baby K," Jerry says calmly, "We do have a newcomer to the White House. Just trying to be a good host."

"You've been very informative, Jer," Ana says sweetly, "Even I didn't know some things you were telling us. And I'm sure Christian was eager to learn more about this building's history too, right, baby?" She looks up and bats her eyelashes at me, begging me to go along with her to please Jerry.

"Yes, of course," I agree, keeping it short and sweet.

The walls are covered in a pale green wallpaper, as per its name. The furniture is a mix of greens, whites, and browns that complement each other perfectly. _Am I even allowed to sit on this furniture?_

"Don't worry, the furniture won't break," Jerry chuckles.

I have to give it to him, that was kind of funny. I can't help but laugh as we all take a seat around a small table.

"Oh, I'll have one of the staffers bring us some snacks from the kitchen. I'm starving," Karen states.

"Tell Philippe to send some truffle fries," Ana says, licking her lips. "He's the head chef here," she whispers to me.

"Oh! YES!" Karen cries, calling a white house staffer in from outside. She then babbles on a list of demands to the poor girl who was obviously in the middle of doing something: "Call the kitchen and have them send us some truffle fries, maybe some mini sliders, caviar and blini, whatever hors d'oeuvres he has on hand, and an assortment of refreshments. Oh, and also some petit fours and small cookies." The staffer is frantically writing all of this down and dashes out of the room to complete her task. It's really almost comical.

"Really Ker?" Jerry laughs, "That girl looked like she was about to burst."

"What?" Karen shrugs, playing innocent, "You have to keep these staffers on their toes or else they'll get complacent."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I know for a fact that Jerry is not interested in me romantically in any capacity whatsoever. However, I don't think Christian sees that yet. Oh well. I think if we spend more time with him, he'll realize it eventually. At least I hope…

Jerry gave us (mostly just Christian) a lovely small tour and history of some of the rooms in the White House. I know Christian is a total history buff, so he should be eating this up. I mean, a personal tour of the White House from the president's son isn't something you come by every day.

We're now all chatting in the Green Room, and surprisingly Christian isn't staring daggers at Jerry. I wouldn't call Christian's attitude friendly, but he's not being hostile. I would probably describe him as being cordial, which is better than I had originally expected.

Someone from the kitchen staff was sent down to deliver the food. Damn it, I really missed this – having whatever kind of food you wanted, whenever and wherever you wanted. Those are just some of the perks of living in the White House. Not to mention the indoor pool, movie theater, and bowling alley.

"How'd the big game go Jer?" I ask. I just remembered my dad telling me about Jerry's lacrosse team getting to state championships.

"We won, of course," he smiles.

"Yay! Congrats!" I cheer.

"Thanks, banana."

"Is there even lacrosse on the west coast?" Jerry asks, directed towards Christian.

Christian shakes his head, "Not much in Seattle."

"I bet you'd be an amazing lacrosse player," Karen muses, "I mean, look at those arms!"

Oh God Karen! Never bashful that one! I see Christian's face turn red, and Jerry and I break out into laughter.

"Football?" Karen questions again, but Christian shakes his head.

"Basketball?" _No._

"Soccer?" _No_.

"Rowing?" _No._

"Water polo?" _No._

"Hockey?" _No._

"Tennis?" _No._

"I give up!" Karen screams.

"No sports," Christian chuckles.

"What?!" Karen cries, mouth wide open, "You're so fit!"

"My thoughts exactly," I tell her.

"There's this place called the gym Karen," Jerry quips.

"Yeah, but most guys your age don't go to the gym. They're too lazy for that," Karen says.

Christian shrugs, and Jerry pipes in, "I guess he's not your usual type then, Ana!"

Christian raises an eyebrow at me and I blush, embarrassed at Jerry's comment.

"Please do tell," Christian tells Jerry.

"Little Ana here's always had a thing for athletes," Jerry recounts.

"Remember in the 6th grade?" Jerry smirks, and I cover my face with my hands. He continues, "Ana had a huge crush on the star kickball player in our P.E. class. What was his name?"

"Dick Willis," I mumble, still embarrassed.

"What was that?" Jerry taunts me.

"Dick Willis," I say louder, gritting my teeth.

The whole room erupts into laughter.

"Here, I have a picture," Jerry says showing his phone to Christian.

Wow, I don't remember this being embarrass Ana in front of her boyfriend time.

Poor Dick Willis. In addition to being cursed with the name Dick (school children can be the worst bullies), the guy is very unattractive, to say the least. He has braces, terribly unruly oily hair, chunky glasses, and is a little pudgy. Okay, very pudgy.

Christian lets out a louder belly laugh when he looks at the picture Jerry is showing him.

"Hey, in my defense he used to be cute in 6th grade," I pout.

"The eye of the beholder, baby," Christian laughs giving me a kiss on the cheek.

 **Christian's POV**

Ok, so maybe Jerry Grant isn't that bad after all. He treats Ana much like how I treat Mia. Like a sister. And despite being extremely intelligent (from what I can tell), he also has a great sense of humor and is great at holding a conversation. I really thought I'd never meet a guy my age that didn't have their head up their ass.

"Dad should be here any minute," Jerry says looking at his watch.

"He's always behind schedule," Karen comments.

Just then, there's a knock on the door, and the President walks into the room followed by two Secret Service agents.

"Thanks, guys," the president says, dismissing the agents.

 _Shit, that's the fucking president! What do I do? Do I stand up? Like what the fuck is the protocol here?! This is the President of the fucking United States of America._

"Uncle Fitz!" Ana jumps up giving him a hug.

"Hey, dad," Jerry and Karen mumble from their seats.

I timidly stand up to greet him. "You must be Christian," he says shaking my hand firmly.

"Yes, sir," I say, mustering up as much confidence as I can.

I cautiously sit back in my seat as the president talks to Ana, catching up a bit.

"I hear you've been terrorizing my staff," the president tells Karen.

"I wouldn't exactly call it terrorizing," Karen comments, "More like breaking in."

I notice him smirk at his daughter as he picks up one of the sliders from the tray and downs it.

"Where's mom?" Karen inquires.

"You know your mother is. She's still up in the residence getting changed. She should be down any minute," he states. "I know you wish I could stay and hang with you guys," he continues, "But I've got a meeting with the Joint Chiefs in a minute." "You'll be at the state dinner tomorrow, right?" he asks Ana and me.

"Of course," Ana replies for the both of us.

The president gives Ana a kiss on the cheek and pats me on the back before making his departure.

"It was nice to meet you, Christian," he says.

"You too, sir," I reply.

 _Holy fucking hell. That was just the president. I just met the President of the United States of America. I repeat, the President of the United States of America! And dare I say he seemed like just a normal guy._

I really need to calm the fuck down. The first lady is coming here any minute, and I need to get my shit together. From what Ana tells me, the first lady has been a mother figure to her. Ana adores her, so I better make a good impression.

Ana's told me a lot about her second family. Olivia Pope-Grant is a forced to be reckoned with in the political sphere. She graduated summa cum laude from Princeton University and Georgetown Law. She was an accomplished attorney turned political "fixer" before capturing the heart of a young Senator from California, who is now the president.

She's a role model for Ana. She's a working mother but never neglects her children. She sounds a lot like Grace. And despite being in the ornamental role of the First Lady, she's anything but. She's one of her husband's most trusted advisors, and if you have a political problem, whether it be with a scandal or a campaign, she's the one to call.

Ana also says she's a fashion icon – completely overshadowing the likes of Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana. People just love her.

* * *

Dare I say meeting the first lady was more nerve wracking than meeting the president? Because I think it was.

She's a very elegant and poised woman who reminds me much of my mother. She was very gracious towards me and really seemed to care for and adore Ana. I'm so glad she has someone like Olivia in her life to act as a mother figure. Lord only knows how shitty of a mother Ana's is.

After chatting with the first lady for a while, she and Karen excused themselves, having to attend a women's conference going on in D.C.

So now, it's just Jerry, Ana, and me, and surprisingly enough, I don't mind his company.

"Is this your first time in D.C.?" Jerry asks me.

"Yep," I reply, "Can't say I've ever had a reason to visit the capitol."

"You up for a tour with an insider?" he questions, "There's a lot of boring historical crap to do around here, but I know how to make it a good time."

"Sounds like a plan."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Ok, so this seems to be going really well. I'd even go as far to say as Christian actually likes Jerry. Dare I say they might become friends? Oh hell, let's not try overreaching here. I'm just grateful Christian hasn't thrown a punch yet.

Anyways, Jerry, Christian, and I hit the streets (along with 3 Secret Service agents). Not very conspicuous; I know.

First stop: The International Spy Museum. Christian and Jerry were totally geeking out over some of the interactive exhibits. It was really heartwarming to see Christian interact positively with someone other than myself or his family; he's usually so anti-social.

After the spy museum, Jerry took us to Embassy Row where we indulged in all sorts international foods: samosas from India, spanakopitas from Greece, potato pancakes from Latvia, bolinhos de bacalhau from Portugal, and yakitori from Japan.

We're completely stuffed. I'm sure it was also uncomfortable and a bit weird for Christian to be escorted by three no-nonsense, tall, buff guys with guns. Not to mention people holding their phones in our direction, hoping to get photo.

If it wasn't for the bodyguards, this would almost seem like a normal outing amongst friends.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Okay, I take it back. Jerry Grant is a nice guy. He definitely doesn't want in my girl's panties. I'm not going to get all mushy and say we're newfound best friends, but I can't say I've had this much fun with someone who wasn't Ana or my family.

After eating our way through Embassy Row, Jerry took us back to the White House for a game of bowling. Karen and Mrs. Grant came back from their event and joined us. We played guys against girls. Jerry and I were winning until the president joined us. Let's just say he should stick to governing.

After bowling, Ana and I went back to Blair House. We were much too tired to take a shower, so we changed into our pajamas and are now cuddling in bed.

"You liked Jerry, didn't you?" Ana asks, hope filling her voice.

"Yeah, I did," I affirm, "I wasn't expecting to."

"I told you so," she smiles.

"He definitely doesn't want in your panties," I mumble, and she giggles.

"He's like my brother."

"I believe you now."

"And what did you think of Karen?"

"You mean Mia 2.0?," I chuckle, "She's so full of energy. I get tired just listening to her."

"We need to introduce Mia to her."

"That we do, baby," I reply.

"And Uncle Fitz and Aunt Liv?"

"They really are like second parents to you."

"Yeah," she asserts, "I wish my real mom was like Liv, but I really can't complain. Liv has always been there for me. I never felt neglected or unloved. Plus I have the most amazing dad ever."

A single tear rolls down her cheek, and I wipe it away with my thumb.

She smiles warmly at me then quickly changes the subject.

"Are you excited for the state dinner tomorrow?" she asks.

I nod my head. "Have you been to one before?"

"Nope, this is my first one. Oh, that reminds me! We have to go to the City Center tomorrow so I can pick up jewelry on loan for tomorrow."

"Mmmn, dripping in diamonds, I hope," I murmur peppering kisses over her neck.

"Yes," she gasps, "Lots of diamonds."

"Who's the guest of honor?" I inquire.

"Some of the royal family from Denmark, I'm not sure who exactly. Fitz is trying to work out a trade deal with the country…"

I dip my hands down the waistband of her silk pajama shorts to get her to stop talking.

I whisper in her mouth, "I love when you talk international politics, baby."

She responds with a moan as I softly dip a finger into her wetness.

* * *

 **The Capitol Beat**

 ** _Jerry Grant Alert!_**

(The article is accompanied by photos of Ana, Christian, and Jerry earlier in the day at the International Spy Museum and Embassy Row)

 _The hunky Fitzgerald Thomas Grant IV was spotted out and about on the town today accompanied by two friends. One being the lovely Anastasia Steele (millionaire heiress and daughter of the White House's own Raymond Steele), the other being a mystery man (a very handsome one at that)._

 _Steele and this mystery man seem to be very close. They were reportedly touching and holding hands all day, and the photos concur. I know we all used to ship Ana and Jerry who were childhood friends, but is looks that ship has already sailed! And if these photos are anything to go by, I'd say this mystery man has completely captured Steele's heart. We here at Capitol Beat think they make a wonderful couple (they're both much too attractive for their own good)._

 _The three amigos were first spotted at the International Spy Museum around noon and were accompanied by three Secret Service agents. Then it was off to Embassy Row, where the group indulged in delicious treats from around the world at the yearly festival to celebrate international cultures. The three were then spotted getting into a bulletproof Suburban and weren't seen again after that._

 _We her at The Capitol Beat are doing everything we can to find the identity of this sexy stranger, but if any of our readers know who he is, we'd love to hear from you. That's all we have for today…_

* * *

 **Christian's Phone**

 _6 missed calls, 2 from Mia Grey, 2 from Mom, 1 from Dad, 1 from Elliot Grey_

 _4 text messages_

 **Mia:** OMG! CHRISTIAN! You're all over the tabloids. Also, do you by any chance have Jerry Grant's number? He's smoking!

 **Elliot:** Bro, your face is all over the tabloids. Fucking hilarious. At least you don't look like a douche. Haha. Call me sometime!

 **Mom:** Christian, darling! Mia has been showing me photos of you all over the tabloids. You and Ana look lovely together. Call your mother. I want to know how you're doing. Did you get to see the White House already? How was it? Love you, darling.

 **Dad:** Call your mother, son.

* * *

 **A/N:** **I'm so sorry it took me this long to update. I can usually get a chapter written in less than a week, but with all the craziness of the holiday season, I didn't have as much time to write as I thought I would. But from this point going forward, I should have a new chapter every week, if not every 4-5 days. I hope you guys like this one! Happy New Year!**


	14. Washington DC Part 2

**A/N: Check out my Pinterest page for this story. My username is amandamendess01**

* * *

 **Chapter 11 - Washington D.C. Part 2**

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

 _Crap, what the hell does my family want._ They blew up my phone last night while I was ravaging Ana. There are 6 missed calls and 4 unread text messages.

 _What the actual fuck?!_ My family is mentioning tabloids? I knew there were people taking pictures of us yesterday, but I just assumed they were taking them of Jerry. I mean, I'm just a nobody.

I immediately do a Google search for Jerry Grant, and the first article that pops up is one from the Capitol Beat. _Ugh, it's just some sleazy tabloid._

* * *

 _ **The Capitol Beat**_

 **Jerry Grant Alert!**

(The article is accompanied by photos of Ana, Christian, and Jerry earlier in the day at the International Spy Museum and Embassy Row)

 _The hunky Fitzgerald Thomas Grant IV was spotted out and about on the town today accompanied by two friends. One being the lovely Anastasia Steele (millionaire heiress and daughter of the White House's own Raymond Steele), the other being a mystery man (a very handsome one at that)._

 _Steele and this mystery man seem to be very close. They were reportedly touching and holding hands all day, and the photos concur. I know we all used to ship Ana and Jerry who were childhood friends, but it looks like that ship has sailed! And if these photos are anything to go by, I'd say this mystery man has completely captured Steele's heart. We here at Capitol Beat think they make a wonderful couple (they're both too attractive for their own good)._

 _The three amigos were spotted at the International Spy Museum and were accompanied by three Secret Service agents. Then it was off to Embassy Row, where the group indulged in delicious treats from around the world at the yearly festival. The three were then spotted getting into a bulletproof Suburban and weren't spotted after that._

 _We are doing everything we can to find the identity of this sexy stranger, but if any of our readers know who he is, we'd love to hear from you. That's all we have for today…_

* * *

Oh my lord! There's a whole fucking article about what we did yesterday. Is this normal for people like Jerry? That's fucking ridiculous – having your daily life papped and published for anyone to see.

Thank God they haven't gotten my name yet. But knowing how cutthroat these tabloids can be, I'm sure they'll be able to figure out my identity soon enough.

After reading the article, I do have to admit that the photos of Ana and I are lovely; we look perfect together.

The last text message on my phone was from my dad telling me to call my mother. Reluctantly, I make the call.

"Christian!" Grace chirps.

"Mother," I state.

"Oh, darling. How are you doing in D.C.? Are you having a nice time?"

Of course, she beats around the bush before getting to what she really wants to talk to me about.

"It's great, mom. I've really been enjoying the city."

"And the White House?" she presses on, "That must have been quite an experience."

"It was amazing."

"Did you take any pictures. I want to show your father."

"No, I didn't. But Ana and I are going back tonight. I'll be sure to send you one."

"Oh! Why are you guys going back?"

"Ana and I were invited to the state dinner."

"That's quite an event, darling. I hope Ana is dressing you. We wouldn't want you on any worst dressed lists."

I laugh, "Of course, she is."

"I'm glad to hear it."

"Is there something you wanted to talk to me about, mom?" I ask, wanting to end this conversation sooner than later.

"Well, I'm sure by now you've seen the article that was posted yesterday. A few more news outlets even picked up the story."

"It was hard not to see it," I quip.

"A few of my friends saw it and were wondering what my son was doing with the president's son," she recounts.

"I mean, I guess we're kind of friends now," I say unsure.

My mother is flabbergasted, as there is a pause in the conversation. "Well, I'm glad you're having a nice time. Please give Ana my best."

"I will mom."

After the phone call with my mother, I send quick replies to my siblings.

* * *

 **Mia:** OMG! CHRISTIAN! You're all over the tabloids. Also, do you by any chance have Jerry Grant's number? He's smoking!

 **Christian:** No boys for you, Mia!

* * *

 **Elliot:** Bro, your face is all over the tabloids. Fucking hilarious. At least you don't look like a douche. Haha. Call me sometime!

 **Christian:** Jealous fuck!

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian and I are on our way to the City Center to pick up my jewelry for tonight. I get to wear hundreds of carats of diamonds – every girl's dream.

We're accompanied by two Secret Service agents – definitely, my father's doing. There wasn't a time where I was more grateful to have them there because once we arrive, there are photographers waiting outside for us.

 _What the hell?_ First off, how did these parasites know we were going to be here? Second off, why the hell would they want pictures of Christian and me? This really makes no sense.

Christian whispers into my ear, "I'll explain later."

 _What is he not telling me?_

I can hear the paparazzi screaming questions at us, ranging from a variety of topics.

"Ms. Steele! Ms. Steele! What is your relationship with Jerry Grant!"

"Can you give us your name, sir?" Those questions are all directed at Christian.

"Ms. Steele!, who are you wearing?"

"Were you and Jerry Grant dating?"

"Anastasia, who's the new man?"

I'm thankful for the large sunglasses covering my eyes as camera flashes are going off left and right. I instinctively hide my face against Christian's neck, as we make our way inside.

Once we get through the paparazzi with the help of the agents, we are escorted into Harry Winston to preview the gems.

Christian then shows me something on his phone, and I'm stunned by the article I'm reading. How could I be so stupid! I knew photos of us were taken yesterday, but I just assumed that I wasn't the focus. _Gah, those parasites!_

At least they don't know who Christian is yet, though. I know those sleazy reporters, if you can even call them reporters, will dig into Christian's past. He doesn't need reminders of his past. We've made such amazing strides with his issues, I'd hate to see him go back into the darkness.

Being in these tabloids aren't unusual for me, but bringing in Christian is a whole other problem. He didn't sign up for this. Neither did I, but I knew that when my dad took a prominent role in the White House, it would come for the territory. Political opponents will look for anything to take a hit to Uncle Fitz's administration.

Nevertheless, I do have to say that Christian and I look amazing together. I knew that before, but seeing some of these candid photos makes my heart melt. We really do look young and in love.

"How are you feeling about this?" I ask Christian, broaching the subject carefully. I know he hates the attention.

"I'm not that upset, surprisingly. I mean, they did call me a sexy stranger," he says with a smirk, making me giggle.

"Well, you're my sexy stranger," I retort. "But being serious, it's going to get worse tonight. There will be a plethora of reporters taking pictures at the dinner tonight. And it's only a matter of time before they find out your identity…" I start rambling.

He shuts me up with a kiss on the lips. "Hey, hey, hey. It's okay, baby. It really doesn't bother me."

"You sure?" I ask, still concerned about how he's feeling.

"One hundred percent."

* * *

After successfully picking up the jewelry, Christian and I trekked back outside, ready to face the paparazzi again.

Christian wraps his arm around me to protect me, but luckily only about half of the reporters were patient enough to stay for our departure.

The agents expertly clear a path for us so we can get back into the car.

"I don't understand why they're so interested in us," I huff.

"Me neither, baby," he replies, "But it must have something to do with your friendship with Jerry. The media definitely has a fixation on all things Grant."

"I blame you and your hotness," I say, only half-joking.

"I thought you liked my hotness," he smirks.

"Well, now millions of girls across the country think you're hot too."

"But only one I care about."

* * *

"Christian, will you zip up my dress?" Christian and I are now getting ready for the state dinner back at Blair House.

Christian looks extremely handsome in his classic black tuxedo. I think this should be his new uniform. I could jump his bones right now if it weren't for this gown.

Instead of zipping up my dress as I asked him too, Christian starts fondling my breasts. _God, that feels good._

"We don't have time for this, baby," I say, not sounding convincing at all.

"Haven't you ever heard of being casually late," he smirks.

He lets go of my dress so that it pools around my feet. All that I'm left wearing are my La Perla panties and garter. I can feel his erection digging into my butt while he sneaks his fingers inside my panties and starts playing with my clit.

"Mmmm, Christian, baby," I mumble, "No time… Going to be late… People are expecting us…"

Christian ignores my protests and continues his assault on my body. I'm not going to lie, I really don't want this to stop right now.

He slowly slides his index finger into me while still applying pressure to my clit with his other fingers. I need more of him. I crave it.

"More, please," I moan.

"I thought you were worried about being late," he teases me.

 _Ugh, this infuriating man and his inability to give me what I want!_

"Please," I moan, moving my hips in an effort to create more friction.

"I want you to beg, Anastasia. Beg for me."

"Please, Christian I want you," I pant, completely out of breath.

"What do you want, baby?" He slips another finger inside of me causing my mind to go blank.

"What do you want, baby?" he repeats.

"You," I moan, "I want you."

"You're going to have to be more specific than that."

"I wa… wa… want you to f-f-fuck me," I manage to squeak out.

"I am fucking you," he smirks.

"Not your fingers." I'm about to lose my mind here. Christian is still pumping his fingers in and out of me, but has stopping rubbing my clit, leaving me on the edge of an orgasm.

"With what?"

"Your cock," I say blushing.

"Mmmm, that's more like it," he grunts and quickly unzips his pants.

He guides me to the bed and bends me over so he can take me from behind.

He rubs the tip of his erection against my wet heat, teasing me even more.

"Just fuck me already," I whine.

I'm rewarded with a slap on the ass that makes me want more.

"That was very rude, Anastasia," Christian chastises me.

"Mmmm, I'm sorry, _sir_ ," I apologize. I've never called him sir in bed before, but after doing some research on BDSM, I decide to try it out. And I do have to say, it sounds sexy coming out of my mouth. I hope Christian feels the same way.

"I think you deserve a punishment for speaking to me like that."

"Yes, yes, yes," I chant.

"Yes what?" he tests me. He must like when I call him sir.

"Yes, sir," I correct myself.

"I'm going to spank you ten times, Anastasia. And you're going to count." He rubs my ass with his palms, no doubt thinking of the color of pink it will be after he spanks me.

"Yes sir," I reply obediently.

I think I hear him unbutton his shirt, then he whispers into my ear from behind. "If it gets too much, just tell me to stop, baby." He's always so caring and attentive towards me. But right now I don't need his compassion. I want him to spank me. I want him to punish me.

I nod in agreement and wiggle my butt to encourage him.

"Well, well, well. You dirty girl. Do you want me to punish you?"

"Yes, sir. Please spank me."

 _Slap_! Christian palm lands on my right butt cheek, and I do my best to stifle my laugh. He is definitely being way too gentle. That slap didn't even hurt at all.

"Why are you laughing?" he asks sternly.

"I wasn't sir," I say, trying to save my ass.

"Was that not hard enough for you?"

"It wasn't sir. It was so soft, I barely even felt it."

 _Smack!_ This time Christian uses a lot more strength, and this time it stings a little.

"Count, Anastasia," he reminds me, "Or else I'll be adding more."

"One," I say squirming on the bed.

When he gets to five, I'm soaking wet. He easily plunges three fingers into my sopping wet cunt and moans. "Look at you. Getting off on a punishment. You're a dirty, dirty little slut."

"Yes, sir. I'm your dirty slut," I cry. I think I'm about to cum when all of a sudden Christian pulls his fingers out of my pussy, and I whimper from the loss.

"You didn't think I was going to let you come before your punishment was over, did you?"

"No, sir."

 _Smack._ He lays another hard smack on my bottom. I can tell that it's already getting red, and I will surely be sore by the morning.

"Six," I moan out, remembering to count.

When we get to the final one, Christian makes sure that it's the hardest out of all of them.

"Ten," I cry. I think the last spank must have left a handprint.

If possible, I'm even wetter than before and am dying for a release.

Again, he plunges three fingers inside me, and I immediately feel an orgasm starting to build up.

"Sir, please can I cum?"

And with that, Christian pulls all three fingers out of me. "Only good girls get to cum." He holds his three fingers to my lips, signaling that he wants me to suck my juices off of him. And like a good girl, I do as I'm told.

"I want you to taste yourself. Taste how sweet you are."

My juices are a mix of sweetness and saltiness, also mixed with the taste of Christian's skin. And I have to say, it's delicious.

After sufficiently cleaning Christian's fingers, he pulls them out of my mouth.

"Do you think you've earned my cock?"

"That's for you to decide sir." I really need him to fuck me right now. I hope that's the answer he was looking for.

Lucky for me Christian's responds with a growl and says, "Good answer, baby." He thrusts his hardness into me with one stroke causing me to scream out in pleasure.

"I'm cumming, sir," I scream, feeling my walls squeezing his cock.

"Fuck, already? You dirty girl, I've barely even fucked you yet." He fucks me hard and fast while I ride out my first orgasm.

After I come back to earth, he shows no sign of slowing down. If anything, he's fucking me harder and rougher. And I love it.

I can feel the second orgasm start to build up in my belly.

"Don't you dare cum until I tell you to," Christian demands while pulling on my hair and swatting my behind.

"I don't think I can hold it, sir," I tell him truthfully.

He smacks my ass again with more force and grunts, "Yes you can."

I'm on sensation overload as Christian brings one of his hands down to the apex of my thighs and starts rubbing circles against my clit.

"Please, please, please," I cry out, needing my release.

I feel Christian's thrusts getting more erratic and know he's about to cum soon as well.

"Cum now, baby," he orders me and I let go.

"OHHHHHH, CHRISTIAN," I scream, abandoning all rational thought.

He spills his seed inside of me but still continues fucking me, allowing me to ride out my orgasm.

After coming down from my high, I feel totally spent. Christian slowly removes himself from me and runs to the bathroom to get a warm towel to clean me up.

Holy shit, that was some really hot sex.

"Are you okay, baby?" Gone is the dominant Christian and back is my loving and caring boyfriend.

"I'm more than okay," I smile.

"I didn't spank you too hard?"

"No. I loved it, Christian."

"It really threw me for a loop when you called me sir," he admits.

"But you liked it, didn't you?"

"Hell yea," he says with his signature smirk on his face.

"I liked when you called me a dirty slut," I admit. Hmm, saying that out loud in a non-sexual setting is a bit odd, but it's the truth.

"I didn't know if you'd like it. But I thought I'd try it out, and you went with it."

"It was hot," I say, thinking back to the memory of our hard fuck only a few minutes ago.

"God, I love you," Christian says, kissing me on the lips.

"Have you heard of BDSM?" I've been doing a little bit too much research during my free time.

"Like bondage and stuff?" he asks, "We've already established that you love when I tie you up."

"Yes like bondage, but it's more than just that. BDSM stands for bondage/discipline, domination/submission, and sadism/masochism. I'm not too keen on the extreme pain part, but I want you to dominate me, baby. I love it."

"God, you're the perfect woman," he gushes, "I fucking love dominating you. I love that I have control over you, your body, your mind, and your pleasure. I fucking love that you trust me enough to give me control."

"So you're up for some experimenting?" I ask hopefully.

"Yes," he says, much too eagerly, "I think I'm going to have to do some more research on my own. I'm going to come up with new ideas on how to fuck you senseless."

I feel a gush of wetness between my thighs. This is the last thing we need right now. My horniness and the state dinner. We really do need to wrap up this sex conversation because it's just going to make me want more sex.

"That sounds perfect, but enough of the sex talk. We need to get ready. We're already late!"

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I can't believe Ana. She's truly the perfect woman for me. The way she called me sir and was the perfect little submissive really got me going. Fuck, I really need to research some more of this BDSM shit. If it makes my girl cum that hard. Jeez, anything for her. Plus, it's such a fucking turn on to have a complaint, submissive little girl in the bedroom. I know that in any other situation, Ana would tell me to fuck off if I tried to tell her what to do. But in the bedroom, she fucking loves it, and I fucking love it too.

After our little romp, Ana frantically has to redo her makeup and brush out her curls. All I have to do is put back on my clothes, which by some miracle didn't get too wrinkled from laying on the floor.

I see Ana in the mirror pinning up her hair with bobby pins.

"Leave it down, baby," I request.

"Are you giving me style advice now, sir?" she teases.

"No, I just like playing with your hair. And it looks so beautiful down."

She turns around and gives me a kiss, leaving a stain of her lip gloss on my lips.

"I love you, Grey."

* * *

Despite our little romp earlier, we aren't too late. The event started at 7:00 pm and it's only 7:30. Ana said the president and guests of honor always arrive an hour late anyway to ensure they're the last ones to arrive.

Pulling up to the White House, reporters paparazzi are rushing up to the car, dying to see who's inside. Bright camera flashes are going off all over the place, and we're lucky that the tinted windows are providing some sort of shield for our eyes.

The door is opened for us, and I take Ana's hand to help her out of the car. There are hundreds of photographers outside of the event wanting to take our picture. There's also an equal amount of security trying to keep them back and calm down the crowd. This is absolute pandemonium.

Ana and I walk hand in hand to the entrance of the State Dining Room. There's an official White House photographer outside waiting to take our photo. I'll have to remember to send a photo to my mother.

After posing for the photographer we are greeted by the doorman: "Ms. Steele, Mr. Grey."

The dining room is something out of Gatsby – it's immaculate. There are circular tables scattered around the room, and the tables are set with the finest silverware and china. Celebrities, foreign dignitaries, and D.C.'s finest are in attendance, all dressed to the nines.

Ana and I are definitely the youngest guests here, and I almost feel out of place. _Like what the hell am I doing here?_

Of course, the first one to spot us is Karen Grant. She's greeting guests with her brother when they start to make our way over to us.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Aunt Liv did an amazing job planning this dinner. The room is tastefully and beautifully decorated, giving a classic yet modern feel. With the presence of Danish royalty in mind tonight, the décor reflects that. It is obvious that the décor was inspired by the Nordic countries, with Danish-American art filling the walls and a red and white color palette in homage to the flag of Denmark.

My dad was supposed to be at the event today, but his plans were derailed as he had to fly last minute to New York City to deal with a national security issue. It seems like there's always one issue after the other.

Christian holds my hand in his as we walk into the State Dining Room. We both spot Karen and Jerry as they excitedly make their way to us, greeting guests along the way.

Jerry gives me a kiss on the cheek and says hello to Christian, while Karen gives both of us hugs.

"Ana!" Karen squeals, "Holy cow! That necklace is insane. And your dress! Ellie Saab?"

"Monique Lhuillier." I turn to Christian and see him animated in a conversation with Jerry, which makes me smile.

"You look stunning too, Baby K," I gush, "Your boobs look killer in that dress."

"Trust me, this outfit was all mom's doing. I had a killer dress picked out, but mom said I was showing too much cleavage."

"She was probably right," I giggle.

"Possibly," Karen relents, "But did you hear about the prince that's coming tonight. I hear he's a model and quite a hunk."

"I'm sure you'll catch his eye without a titty show."

Karen starts giggling uncontrollably, causing Jerry to tell her to calm down.

"Do you guys want some food?" Jerry asks after calming his sister down, "I'm starving and dinner isn't going to be served for another half an hour or so."

There are some waiters walking around the dining room passing out drinks and hors d'oeuvres, but I know the boys are probably dying for some real food.

We all sneak off to the kitchen where Chef Philippe is busy managing the kitchen staff.

"What's on the menu tonight?" Jerry asks the chef with his natural charm.

"Ah, it's so nice to see you, les enfants," Philippe says in a heavy French accent, greeting Jerry, Karen, and me.

"I don't believe we've met," he says shaking Christian's hand.

"Enchante," Christian says in perfect French, "Je m'appelle Christian." _Nice to meet you, my name is Christian._

"Ahhhh," Phillippe exclaims, "Tu parles francais?" _You speak French?_

"Oui," Christian answers, "J'apprends depuis que je suis un enfant." _Yes, I've been learning ever since I was a child._

"Parfait!" the chef exclaims, "Je t'aime deja!" _Perfect! I like you already._

The chef then rattles on tonight's menu to Jerry who seems quite interested in the food.

"I didn't know you speak French," I whisper to Christian. That might be the sexiest thing I've ever heard. I can only imagine Christian speaking to me in French while we're making love. Mmmm, the language of love. More like the language of sex.

"I hardly ever use it. My mom has a rule for all her children: a foreign language, a musical instrument, and a martial art. You know I play the piano. Elliot plays the guitar and Mia plays the violin. Mia and I both speak French while Elliot speaks Spanish. As for the martial arts, Elliot used and I used to do Karate. He hated it, and I couldn't stand the chance of being touched. Mia put her foot down in middle school."

"Well," I say seductively, "I find it very sexy that you can speak French."

"Est-ce vrai, Mademoiselle Steele?" he smirks. _Is that so, Miss Steele?_

"I have no idea what you just said but keep talking," I sigh.

"Oh my god, Ana," Karen interrupts us and hand me a plate, "You have to try this. It's a red wine braised short rib."

I take a bite and it melts in my mouth. "God, this is to die for." I feed a bite to Christian, and he says the same.

"C'est delicieux," Christian comments to the chef. _It's delicious._

"Merci, mais tu dois essayer l'agneau." _Thank you, but you must try the lamb._

Philippe hands Christian a plate with a small herb-crusted rack of lamb.

"Je l'adore," Christian raves. "Qu'avez vous d'autre?" _I love it. What else do you have?_

Christian then takes his turn feeding me food while the chef fixes all of us a plate filled with an array of appetizers.

"Here we have pork belly with an apple salad, venison tartare with a truffle vinaigrette, deviled eggs with ossetra caviar, and langoustine rolls with spiced beets."

I swear I'm going to gain 15 pounds on this trip if I keep eating Philippe's food.

* * *

It's about 8:00 pm now – the first couple and Danish monarchs have yet to arrive. Jerry says they're busy in the Diplomatic Reception Room taking official pictures. We're already getting pretty bored with all these dinosaurs roaming around the place. But hey, there's not much entertainment here for teenagers. At least Ariana Grande is set to perform after dinner. Something to look forward to…

"Holy shit Ana!" Christian says, "Is that Blake Lively?" He knows how much I love Gossip Girl. Blair Waldorf is my inspiration in life.

He points in her direction and I squeal in delight.

"Oh, my God. Karen, Karen, Karen!" I say excitedly, "That's Blake Lively."

She's sitting at a table with her husband, Ryan Reynolds, and some other famous people I don't really care about. Blake is wearing a chic satin grey dress with a slit at the leg and a tied bow at the front. How does she look so amazing in everything? _Gah!_

Much like me, Karen is freaking out. "Holy mother! I didn't know she was coming. I would've told daddy to put my plate setting next to her."

 _Calm Steele, you can do this._ "I'm going in," I say bravely to Karen.

"I'm coming," Karen says following behind me.

After a nervous but lovely conversation with Blake, she agreed to take a picture with both Karen and me. She was terribly sweet and gracious. And did I forget to mention Ryan Reynolds took a picture of me and Blake Lively! I could scream right now.

It's another 15 minutes before the Fitz, Liv, and the queen and king of Denmark make their arrival.

Aunt Liv is wearing a stunning golden yellow gown that perfectly flaunts her curves without being too sexy. It's both elegant and fashion-forward.

The Queen of Denmark is dressed quite ostentatiously in a pastel green ball gown with ruffled sleeves. From across the room, I can see her intricate emerald and diamond tiara and matching necklace.

* * *

"Hey, kids," Aunt Liv greets us warmly, after the attention on the most important guests has died down a bit.

"Mom!" Karen shouts, "You'll never guess who I took a picture with?"

"Blake Lively," she guesses.

"How'd you know?" Karen questions.

"I was finalizing the guest list this morning," she informs, "And I saw Blake's name on the list. I knew you wouldn't pass up an opportunity like that."

"You should've seen her mom," Jerry laughs, "She was totally starstruck."

"Shut up, Jer," Karen says elbowing him.

"Alright, kids. That's quite enough," Liv dismisses them, "I came over here to tell you guys to go mingle with the Prince Nikolai. The queen tells me he's quite shy and…"

"You mean the really hot prince?" Karen interrupts, which causes Liv to roll her eyes at her daughter's enthusiasm.

"Yes, that's the one," Liv affirms.

"Where is he?" I ask, wanting to make him feel comfortable.

"He's sitting over there," Liv points to an empty table in the corner.

"Don't worry," I say, "We'll go talk to him."

"No funny business, Karen," she says firmly.

Karen rolls her eyes and goes dashing off in the prince's direction. I pray she doesn't embarrass herself.

Jerry bolts after his sister, no doubt trying to stop an international incident.

"Do you think we should go over there?" I ask Christian.

"Yeah, I think it will be hilarious to see Karen fawn all over him."

* * *

International crisis averted. Karen has since been tamed, and we're now having a nice chat with Prince Nikolai, who has encouraged all of us to just call him Nick.

It turns out he loves American football and absolutely detests all this fancy food they're serving here.

"I can have the chef whip you up something more casual if you'd like," Jerry says.

"Oh, no. I couldn't trouble you like that," the prince says with a heavy accent, "I'm used to all this fancy food. I have to attend boring events like this all the time."

"What do you say we get out of here?" Jerry suggests.

"What are you proposing?" the prince asks.

"Oh! Dad built a secret game room in the basement," Karen screams.

"Sorry, Karen. I couldn't hear you," Jerry says sarcastically, which earns laughs and giggles from all of us.

"That sounds way better than this," Prince Nikolai says.

"Well, secret party it is," Karen shouts.

* * *

After making a secret departure from the State Dining Room, the group is now playing Dance Dance Revolution on the Play Station. With Karen and I in fancy gowns, we felt it best to watch the boys play rather than ruin our dresses.

Jerry ordered pizza, buffalo wings, and soda for us – a healthy break from all the food at the state dinner.

I've never seen Christian dance before, and he's absolutely terrible. Prince Nikolai, who is obviously trained in ballroom dancing, is killing this game. Jerry isn't doing so bad, but the prince is definitely blowing both boys out of the water. It's not even a competition.

Karen and I are laughing and making fun of the boys, all the while taking precious videos of their dance moves. I'm never going to let Christian live this one down.

I devilishly make a group chat with his whole family and send them the video.

 **Ana:** Someone needs some dancing lessons.

 **Mia:** This is gold! Wait, OMG! Is that Prince Nikolai. He's smoking hot!

 **Grace:** Oh, dear. I'm glad you kids are having fun.

 **Elliot** : Haha! This is hilarious. Tell Christian he looks like he has two left feet.

* * *

"I'm sure they're missing us upstairs," I say after the boys have finished their sixth game of Dance Dance Revolution. Prince Nikolai won all six times. I was so funny really, with Christian and Jerry fighting over who got second place.

"Yeah, we should probably be getting back," Jerry agrees with me. "They should be finishing up dinner. Ariana Grande's performing."

"Oh, Ariana Grande!" Karen squeals frantically putting her heels back on and running upstairs. "We have to go back."

We all have a laugh at Karen's enthusiasm and I whisper to Christian, "What do you say we take a break from the hip-hop and have a slow dance upstairs."

"That sounds like a great idea, baby."

I can hear Jerry in the background: "Hey, Nick. Do you mind having a dance with my sister?"

"Not a problem."

* * *

Christian and I are dancing to Ariana Grande's "Tattooed Heart," completely lost in each other.

In the corner of my eye, I can see that Karen's in seventh heaven, having been asked to dance by Prince Nikolai. Jerry will do anything for his sister.

Jerry is dancing with his mother, while the Uncle Fitz is entertaining the queen and her husband.

Overall, this has been a great evening, and we're all glad that no one caught us sneaking out of the event.

"I could get used to this," Christian comments.

"The fancy parties?" I inquire.

"No, dancing with you."

* * *

 _ **The Washington Post**_

 **A State Dinner for Denmark's Monarchs**

 _President Grant's second state dinner was hosted in honor of Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II of Denmark, His Royal Highness, Prince Henrik, and His Highness, Prince Nikolai. A full guest list of the glamorous affair was just released, and it did not disappoint._

 _Among the celebrities in attendance were Blake Lively, Ryan Reynolds, Danish tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Bradley Cooper, Natalie Portman, and a performance from Ariana Grande._

 _Guests from Grant's administration included the Vice President and his wife, Secretary of State, Molly Fitzgerald, White House Chief of Staff, Cyrus Beene, and the White House Press Secretary, Quinn Perkins._

 _The First Lady was in charge of the décor and dinner menu for the event. A spokeswoman from the First Lady's office confirmed that she hand-selected every single piece of décor in the room, along with all the china, and oversaw the menu with the White House's head chef, Philippe Antonie._

 _From the First Lady's office: "Mrs. Grant wanted to the décor to reflect the culture and spirit of the Danish people. For the dinner menu, she wanted to showcase the wonderful crops and seafood from the region."_

* * *

 **The décor**

 _The décor was inspired by the culture and history of Denmark and showcased the longstanding relationship between the two countries. Paintings from Danish-American artists were hung on the walls, and the color scheme of the event was inspired by the red and white Danish flag._

 _White and red Marguerite daisies (the national flower of Denmark) décorated the halls and were the centerpieces of all the tables. Red tablecloths covered the tables while red and white china from the Reagan era was used to complement the color scheme._

* * *

 **The Dinner Menu**

 _For the starters, Mrs. Grant chose a menu of both American classics and Nordic favorites. Here's the official list of all the canapes that were served at tonight's event:_

* * *

Chicken and Waffles

 _Organic, farm-raised chicken from Georgia_

 _Deep-fried chicken, Belgian waffle, Rum maple syrup_

* * *

Duroc Pork Belly with Granny Smith Apple Salad

 _Organic, farm-raised Duroc pork from Iowa_

 _Organic granny smith apples from New York_

 _Barbeque-glazed pork belly, Green apple salad with arugula and an apple cider vinaigrette_

* * *

Venison Tartare with Truffle Vinaigrette

 _Wild venison from Denmark_

 _Black truffles from Tennessee_

* * *

Deviled Eggs with Osetra Caviar

 _Eggs sourced from a local farmer in Virginia_

 _Garnished with osetra caviar and chives_

* * *

Langoustine Roll with Spiced Beets

 _Ethically and responsibly sourced langoustine from the Nordic region_

 _Beets from Denmark_

* * *

Aquavit Seafood Cocktail

 _A mix of the freshest seafood caught by Danish fisheries_

* * *

Traditional Danish Smørrebrød

 _Pickled herring, beets, capers, dill, cucumber_

* * *

 _For the main course, Mrs. Grant ensured there was something to eat for everyone by including a vegetarian entree, fish entree, and meat entree. Guests were given a choice of three dishes all accompanied by a different wine:_

* * *

Ahi Tuna

 _Wild caught ahi tuna from Hawaii_

 _Salt-cured ahi tuna, Pickled young radish, Watermelon-juniper granita_

Trisaetum Dry Riesling "Estates" 2014

* * *

Tomato Tartare

 _Organic, heirloom tomatoes from California_

 _Cardamom yogurt, Micro lettuces, Citrus vinaigrette_

Grgich Hills Fume Blanc "Estate" 2013

* * *

Red Wine Braised Beef Short Ribs

 _Organic, farm-raised beef from Texas_

 _Hot kale salad, Thyme dumplings_

RdV "Rendezvous" 2010

* * *

For the dessert, the First Lady chose two – a classic American dessert and a classic Danish one.

* * *

Deconstructed Apple Pie

 _Organic apples from New York_

 _Puff pastry, cinnamon, whipped cream_

* * *

Drømmekage

 _Danish dream cake, Coconut topping_

* * *

 **The Entertainment**

 _Ariana Grande was tonight's entertainer. The White House just released the official set list of all the songs Grande performed this evening._

"Tattooed Heart" originally performed by Ariana Grande

"Can't Help Falling in Love" originally performed by Elvis Presley

"Dreams" originally performed by Fleetwood Mac

"Just A Little Bit Of Your Heart" originally performed by Ariana Grande

"At Last" originally performed by Etta James

* * *

 **The Fashion**

 _As expected, everyone brought their fashion A-game for tonight's star-studded dinner party. We've composed a list of the 5 best-dressed women of the night._

#5 – Karen Grant

 _President Grant's 15-year-old daughter was absolutely stunning in a black, strapless gown designed by Oscar de la Renta. With embroidered leaves along the bodice and a matching diamond necklace to boot, she looked very mature and beautiful._

#4 – Blake Lively

 _Blake Lively never disappoints. In a satin grey, off-the-runway Ralph and Russo dress, she stood out of the crowd._

#3 – Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II

 _At almost 80 years old, Queen Margrethe still looks amazing. The Danish palace has yet to release the designer of Her Majesty's gown, but she looked amazing in a pale green dress. The most eye-catching pieces of her outfit were her crown jewels: a diamond and emerald tiara with a matching necklace._

#2 – Anastasia Steele

 _Anastasia Steele, the daughter of the White House's National Security Advisor, Raymond Steele, has been making quite the headlines recently from her sighting's with Jerry Grant and a mystery man. She definitely made another splash tonight. In an embroidered Monique Lhuillier gown and dazzling jewelry from Harry Winston, Steele was the belle of the ball._

#1 – First Lady, Olivia Grant

 _Style-icon, Olivia Grant has done it again. In a sleek, figure-hugging, golden yellow ball gown that perfectly complemented her chocolate skin tone, Mrs. Grant earned the number one spot on our best-dressed list. The dressed was an original design by Oscar de la Renta, made specifically for Mrs. Grant. Her only accessories were yellow diamond earrings, which were a gift from her husband. Time and time again, Mrs. Grant has combined classic and modern styles and will no doubt be an inspiration to the First Ladies who will follow her._

* * *

 _ **The Capitol Beat**_

 **The Glamorous Grant State Dinner**

 _Hey, readers! D.C. has been abuzz in preparation of the state dinner that was hosted at the White House last night. And lucky for our readers, photos of the mystery hunk have surfaced from his attendance at the dinner. And he looks great in a tux…_

 _Tonight, the three amigos along with the first daughter, Karen Grant were spotted at the state dinner rubbing elbows with royalty and A-list celebrities._

 _The dinner was hosted in honor of the Queen and Prince Consort of Denmark: Her Majesty, Queen Margrethe II and His Royal Highness, Prince Henrik. The monarch also brought along one of her grandsons: His Highness, Prince Nikolai. At only 19 years old, Prince Nikolai is already quite the heartthrob. I'm sorry, Prince Harry who?_

 _Jerry Grant, Karen Grant, Anastasia Steele, and the mystery hottie were spotted taking official White House photos at the event. Both Karen and Anastasia looked absolutely gorgeous, and we've got the inside scoop on what the two were wearing, as well as details of what the rest of the first family was wearing._

 _Steele was dressed in a black strapless Monique Lhuillier ball gown with floral embellishments. She was carrying a black Alexander McQueen clutch and was wearing a pair of Gianvito Rossi sandals. But the focal point of Steele's ensemble were those huge diamonds from Harry Winston. It is unclear if Steele owns the jewels or if they're on loan. Nevertheless, they're every girl's dream. The diamond necklace is estimated to be worth about $8 million, with a whopping total of 130 carats. The diamond bracelet is only a mere 10 carats while the diamond earrings are 32 carats._

 _Karen Grant was outfitted in a black, strapless, velvet Oscar de la Renta gown with embroidered leaves at the bodice. The White House confirmed the necklace Miss Grant wore was on loan from Tiffany & Co. for the night. Miss Grant was donning a diamond necklace from Tiffany & Co.'s autumn collection. The necklace has over 32 carats with a strand of diamond embezzled leaves across the back, perfectly matching her dress. Grant was also carrying a clutch from Saint Laurent. And always the one to mix high fashion with affordable brands, Grant rocked black leather heels from Steve Madden. That's right ladies, gold ole Steve Madden. The shoes cost only $50, so you can get Grant's look on a budget. Well, only the shoes that is._

 _Jerry Grant and the unknown Adonis were looking absolutely dashing in their tuxedos. It was confirmed that Jerry Grant wore an Armani tuxedo, while our fashion experts here at The Capitol Beat are almost certain that the Adonis wore a tuxedo straight off the runway from Brunello Cucinelli. The pair were photographed with Prince Nikolai of Denmark throughout the night, and I think we can all agree they could be GQ models._

 _The glamorous first lady, Olivia Pope-Grant, didn't disappoint either. The epitome of style and grace, Mrs. Grant looked stunning in a honey yellow Oscar de la Renta gown with a halter neckline and a cascading ruffle trim at the back. We definitely know where Karen Grant got her style inspiration from. Mrs. Grant chose to keep it simple with earrings as her only piece of jewelry. The White House confirmed the earrings were a gift from President Grant for their 5th anniversary – a custom pair of earrings from Butani, a mix of diamonds and yellow diamonds, totaling 250 carats with an estimated worth of $5 million. Hot damn, someone needs to get us a hubby like President Grant who has a great butt and showers his wife with precious jewels._

 _And if any of you were interested the president was dressed completely in Armani like his son._

 _We reached out to representatives from the royal family of Denmark for comment on what the Queen, Prince Consort, and young prince were wearing, but they did not respond._

 _Among the celebrity guest list were Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds, Emily Blunt and John Krasinski, Natalie Portman, and Bradley Cooper. Other notable guests included Danish tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (close friends with Mrs. Grant), and various members of Congress and the Grant administration._

 _Here's the whole gallery of photos of looks from tonight's dinner._

 _Despite all the royals and celebs at the dinner, all eyes were on the Grant children, Anastasia Steele, and the beautiful man by her side._

 _We are on high alert for any sightings of the Grant children, Anastasia Steele, and her beau. If any of our readers know his identity, please contact us. We're all dying to know…  
_

* * *

 **The Seattle Nooz**

 _We all know that Seattle is home to millionaire heiress Anastasia Steele. She's the beautiful daughter of Raymond Steele who works for the White House as the National Security Advisor. Mr. Steele has an estimated net worth of $600 million._

 _The glamorous Anastasia Steele was spotted at the state dinner hosted at the White House last night alongside longtime friends and first children, Jerry and Karen Grant. Steele was accompanied by a hottie rumored to be her boyfriend._

 _We've reached out to everyone in Seattle to see if anyone knew who the man with Steele was. It turns out they go to the same exclusive private school right here in Seattle – Seattle College Preparatory._

 _A classmate of Steele revealed to us that the young man's name is Christian Grey. They are both juniors at Seattle College Preparatory. The classmate, who asked to remain anonymous said Grey was a new student this year. We've done a little digging ourselves and it turns out Grey has attended 3 different high schools. What we don't know is why._

 _Here's what the classmate had to say when asked about Grey and Steele's relationship. "Christian was new to the school this year, and he immediately latched on to Ana. They're always together at school. Christian really only ever talks to Ana. I've never seen him interact with anyone else. He's a mystery to everyone at school, but he's extremely intelligent. He's ranked number one in our class."_

 _Christian Grey is the son of Grace Trevelyan-Grey and Carrick Grey. Grace Trevelyan-Grey is a world-renown surgeon and is currently the Head of Surgery at Seattle Grace Hospital. Carrick Grey is the founder and owner of Grey & Associates, the best law firm on the west coast. The Greys are active in Seattle's social scene and are very philanthropic. They founded a charity, Coping Together, which helps kids whose parents are addicted to drugs and alcohol. We are told that the charity is personal for the Greys._

 _It is public record that Grace and Carrick Grey have adopted three children: Elliot Grey, Christian Grey, and Amelia Grey. The Greys reportedly own a $20 million, five-acre estate in Bellevue overlooking Puget Sound._

 _In addition to being spotted at the state dinner last night, Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele were seen the day before in the D.C. area with Jerry Grant, the president's son. Their multiple appearances with members of the first family have brought national attention to both Grey and Steele. Could this be Seattle's new power couple? We sure think so._

 _We here at the Nooz are on official Grey/Steele watch. If you see them, please snap a photo and send it to us. We want more of this very young and very rich couple!_

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian and I had a wonderful week in Washington D.C., but I'm so excited to be going back home. I missed sleeping in my own bed.

My dad managed to get away from the office for a night, so Christian and I were able to have dinner with him. The rest of the time was spent fooling around with Karen and Jerry, as well as causing a ruckus in the White House. Let's just say footballs and priceless White House antiques aren't friendly.

Nevertheless, Aunt Liv and Uncle Fitz told me they loved Christian, and couldn't wait until I brought him back to D.C. again. It was much the same sentiment with Karen and Jerry. Karen will never fail to comment how easy Christian is on the eyes, and Jerry is glad to have made a new friend who treats him like a normal kid, not like the president's son.

Christian and I flew back via a private to Seattle on Sunday morning. We got back to Seattle at around noon, and I was exhausted.

However, Christian's parents insisted that I come to dinner at their house. I practically fell asleep at the dinner table.

The Greys could not stop talking about all the various articles that were written about Christian and me while we were in D.C. Mia could not shut up about all her friends asking about Christian. In her words, we're practically celebrities now.

Lord, I can only imagine how interesting school is going to be tomorrow. We'll just have to wait and see.

* * *

 **A/N:** **I hope you liked this chapter! I wanted to thank every one of you who reviewed my story. I really love hearing from all of you. Next chapter I'm going to be doing some time jumps. I want my babies to go off to college already.**

 **Also as I side note, I've taken French for 8 years in school, so hopefully all my French is right. If not, oh well; at least I tried.**


	15. Just the Beginning

_**A/N: I would describe this as a transitional chapter. It's much shorter, but I wanted to do a small time jump to the start of their freshman year in college. I have some really good things planned for them. I hope you enjoy!**_

* * *

 **Chapter 12 - Just the Beginning**

* * *

 _ **NBC News - Seattle**_

 _This is Kimberly Mitchell reporting live from Seattle College Preparatory in downtown Seattle. If you haven't heard of Anastasia Steele and Christian Grey by now you've been living under a rock for the past week. Steele and Grey both caught national attention after being spotted with Jerry Grant last week in Washington D.C. Interest in the couple heavily increased after being photographed at the state dinner with the first children and Prince Nikolai of Denmark._

 _There are dozens of photographers and reporters outside the entrance of the school, waiting for Grey and Steele to arrive. The school has security stationed at all points of entry and are doing their best to keep the paparazzi at bay._

 _Once again, this is Kimberly Mitchell reporting live. Back to you Robin._

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"This is insane," Ana cries while covering her face with an extra jacket in my car. The paparazzi are surrounding my car, taking picture after picture.

These parasites are blocking the entrance to the school, despite the school's security guys trying to get them to move out of the way.

"Maybe I could run them over?" I suggest, not at all kidding. I'm excessively honking at the press, but they're not moving an inch.

"Should we just skip school," Ana suggests, a little too excitedly, "We can have some fun at my place." She turns to me and bites her lip seductively.

"Don't tempt me."

One of the school's security guards has to wrestle his way through the press before he knocks on my window.

"Mr. Grey," he says gruffly, "I think it would be best to use the back entrance for faculty. It doesn't look like they're going to move anytime soon."

"This is already shaping up to be a great day," Ana comments sarcastically.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I feel like an endangered animal in a zoo. Everyone, and I mean everyone, is staring at Christian and me.

After the craziness with the press this morning, it made a lot of students late to their first class. Not to mention the crazy gossip flying around the place. Every time I turn my head, I hear students mumbling about me. I don't know if it's good or bad, but I couldn't care less. The person I'm really concerned about is Christian. I know how much he hates the attention.

At least the only person treating me somewhat normal is Kate. She just got back from a tropical vacation with her family, and she looks tan and stunning.

I'm surprised when even the girls on the cheer team, some of whom I've been friends with for years now, start acting weird around me. For goodness sake, I'm _not_ a celebrity.

Oh, well. There's really nothing I can do about it. Everything will probably go back to normal after the media attention dies down. I'm just a hot topic right now, but the interest will soon die down.

* * *

 _A Month Later_

The media frenzy has definitely died down. They're no longer camped outside my school, but when Christian and I go out, we definitely see a few photographers every now and then.

Unfortunately, the damage has been done with my relationships at school. People I thought were friends, ended up stabbing me in the back. Between divulging information to the press about my whereabouts and straight up feeding them lies to make a quick buck, I was livid. I've basically cut all contact with my friends at school – backstabbing, money hungry, social-climbing losers! The closest people in my life consist of four people: Christian, Kate, Jerry, and Karen. I couldn't ask for a better group of friends.

* * *

 _Summer Break_

"Ana!" Jerry's voice rings happily through the phone.

"What's up Jer Bear?"

"Karen and I are coming to Seattle!" he screams.

"Oh my God, that's great!" I shout, excited that I'll get to see him and Karen again. "Why?"

"There needs to be a reason to see you?"

"Fair point, well made. When are you guys coming?

"Next week, just in time for C's 18th."

"Christian will be excited to see you both," I exclaim.

"Well then tell Christian to prepare for a busy week. Karen's been talking non-stop about our visit. We have something big planned for his birthday."

"Christian wouldn't like all the fuss."

"He'll have to deal with it. Oh, and Karen mentioned shopping with you. She wants Christian to hold bags for her too."

A few weeks ago, I made Christian go shopping with me. Long story short, he was holding dozens of shopping bags for me, and we happened to be spotted by the paparazzi. The Nooz was all over it, and Elliot could not stop teasing Christian for being "pussy whipped."

I can't help but break out into laughter before I can reply. "Well, tell Karen that he's _mine_ , but I'm sure her favorite older brother will be happy to hold bags for her."

"Keep dreaming, banana," he chuckles, "Anyways, can't wait to see you and Christian!"

"You too Jer!"

* * *

 _Planning Christian's 18th Birthday Party_

 **Ana's POV**

"Christian loves the view from the Space Needle. That's such a great idea," I exclaim.

Jerry and Karen are hanging out at my apartment, telling me about their plans for Christian's upcoming 18th birthday.

"I told you not to worry banana," Jerry comments.

"We just need you to finalize some of the details," Karen explains, "Like the food, the decorations, the guest list."

"Are we surprising him?" I ask.

"Of course!" Karen says, "Those are always the best kinds of parties."

"Show me what you have so far," I say.

"We rented out the Space Needle for the night," Jerry informs me, "I'm assuming the party is going to be at the top unless he has a fear of heights."

"Nope, heights aren't a problem," I smile, remembering one of many late night conversations with Christian when he told me he's always dreamed of flying a helicopter.

"That's great," Karen cries, breaking me out of my memory, "The next things we need to talk about are the decorations and the food. The restaurant in the Space Needle said they can provide the food, or we could hire a caterer. Whatever you prefer."

"I think we should cater from Christian's favorite restaurant. I can make the arrangements."

"Perfect," Karen smiles, "So know that the food is sorted out, we need a theme. I was thinking old Hollywood glamor — like Marilyn Monroe and Grace Kelly vibes."

"Did Chris suddenly turn into a girl overnight?" Jerry snorts, earning a laugh from me and a scowl from his sister.

"I was thinking something more casual," I counter but save the idea of Hollywood glamor in the back of my mind for my birthday in a couple months.

"Do you have a color palette in mind?" Karen asks.

"50 Shades of Grey," I chuckle.

* * *

All of Christian's plans for his birthday party have been finalized, and somehow with Karen and Mia's big mouths, we've been able to keep it a secret from him.

Not surprising to any of us, Karen and Mia have gotten along extremely well. And Mia has the biggest crush on Jerry. It's so cute.

Anyways, we're having Christian's party at sunset on the top of the Space Needle. It's going to be picture perfect. The food is being catered from Christian's favorite restaurant, and I made sure to order his favorite mac & cheese. I'm also going to bake him my very special chocolate cake. I'm going to have one very happy birthday boy on my hands.

It's going to be a small party. Family and close friends only. And it's not like Christian has many friends. Neither do I anymore. Elliot just got back from college, so Christian's whole family is going to be there. Obviously, Jerry and Karen are coming. I also invited Kate, as she and Christian have been friendly with each other for my sake.

I'm in charge of bringing Christian to the Space Needle. Everyone's going to be waiting there for us on Friday. I'm going to spend the whole day with Christian, and if he has any say, we're probably going to end up spending the whole day in bed. Not that I'd mind.

* * *

 _Christian's Birthday_

 **Ana's POV**

Christian is deliciously insatiable. I had a picnic set up for us at the park, but my man had other ideas about what he wanted to do for his birthday. His new favorite hobby – making me cum over and over again.

After tying me to the bed spread-eagle with my silk Hermes scarves, he proceeded to torture me with eighteen orgasms using his fingers and mouth. Yes, eighteen – one for every year he's been alive. I was delirious by the last orgasm. Then, Christian proceeded to fuck me into submission. I lost count of the orgasms after that.

After spending the entire morning and afternoon of Christian's birthday in bed (like I predicted), and after taking a long nap to recover, I had to force him to get dressed. I told him that I was taking him out to dinner for his birthday.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Well, happy fucking birthday to me. Fuck, making Ana scream my name in ecstasy is my new favorite hobby. I really pushed her limits today, but she fucking loved it. Oh, my kinky girl.

I was really looking forward to a night in with my angel, but she insisted on taking me out to dinner, despite my protests that we could just order takeout.

* * *

"You're taking me to the Space Needle?" I ask Ana, as she pulls up to the valet. I love the view from here, and it will no doubt be more stunning with Ana's beauty radiating from the top.

"Yeah," she smiles, "I thought you'd like dinner with a view."

"There's no one else here," I comment, looking around. The place is usually filled with tourists and locals, yet none are here tonight.

She gives me a sly smile and simply says, "You're right."

Something is definitely going on here.

When the elevator reaches the top deck, I hear familiar voices scream, "Surprise!"

* * *

 _ **The Seattle Nooz**_

 _Happy 18th Birthday Christian Grey!_

 _Now a legal adult – Christian Grey spent his 18th birthday at the top of Seattle's most iconic attraction – the Space Needle._

 _The party was thrown by Grey's girlfriend, Miss Anastasia Steele, and the Grant children, who are close friends of Grey. It reportedly cost $1 million to rent out the tower for the night._

 _We know what you're all thinking. Who was lucky enough to score an invite to this exclusive event? Well, unless you're a member of Grey's family or part of his close-knit friend group, you're out of luck._

* * *

 _Senior Year_

 **Ana's POV**

"I'm so nervous," I comment.

"Oh, please, banana. You're a shoo-in. You've practically been groomed to be a Harvard student since birth," Jerry says from the FaceTime open on my laptop.

Christian chuckles at Jerry's comment, and I scowl at him. "Hey, he said it." Christian holds both of his hands up, feigning innocence.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Ana and I, along with Jerry over FaceTime are waiting on our laptops for our Harvard decisions to come out. They're all treating this like a big life moment, which it is, but we already know that all our letters are going to say yes.

* * *

"Ready guys?" I ask, "Our whole futures are riding on this."

"Shut up, baby," Ana quips, "Open your decision."

"Wait," Jerry interrupts, "Let's all do it on the count of three."

"Child." Ana rolls her eyes.

"On the count of three," Jerry chants.

 _One_

 _Two_

 _Three_

I click on the "view decision" button that appeared on the Harvard portal. I'm pleasantly surprised by the first words I read, "We're pleased to inform you…"

"Ahhh!" Ana screams, "I got in."

She looks excitedly at me and I smile. "Me too."

"Jerry?" Ana asks.

"Looks like you'll be stuck with me for the next four years."

* * *

 _High School Graduation_

 **Christian's POV**

I'm nervous. Really fucking nervous. Imagine me, Christian Grey, the class valedictorian, practically forced to address the class at graduation. You can't, right? Well, fuck me because that's exactly what is happening.

I'm shit at writing. I'm fairly good at public speaking, but I'd rather not. Ana was the one who convinced me to give the speech. I was originally going to refuse the position, but Ana said that I had earned it. Well if this is what I get for the highest GPA at the school, I should've spent less time studying and more time fucking Ana.

I'm the only student sitting on the stage along with the principal and vice principal. I can barely make out Ana sitting amongst the rest of the crowd.

When we lock eyes, she gives me an encouraging smile and mouths, "I love you."

"And now, I'd like the welcome the valedictorian, Mr. Christian Grey, to the podium to give the commencement speech."

Everyone in the audience applauds. I see my family near the front row – my parents, Mia, Elliot… They all came. My family looks… proud. They're proud of me.

I take another look at Ana, and her reassuring smile is what calms me.

I slowly get out of my seat and walk to the podium. _I can do this…_

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

 _Leaving for College_

"Oh, I'm going to miss you both, terribly," Grace cries as she drops Christian and me off at the airport.

It's moving week at Harvard. My dad is meeting us later in the week to make sure we've settled in alright, and Jerry's plane should be arriving at the same time as ours.

Christian and I were looking into getting an apartment close to campus, but all freshmen are required to live in the dorms. _Ugh, absolutely disgusting._ Even Jerry is subjected to the same rules as us. He is, however, have the windows to his room bullet-proofed. Also, the rooms next to his and the one directly across from his are going to be vacant, and there's going to be a Secret Service agent stationed outside of his door at all times. I'm sure the school would've made a special exception for Jerry to live off campus, but Aunt Liv wanted him to have a "normal" college experience like she did. _Hah, so much for normal._

Jerry and Christian are going to be roommates, and I'm so happy that Christian finally has a friend. My dorm room is going to be just down the hall. I chose to get a single because I really don't want to end up with some random chic as a roommate who might want to steal my clothes. I know it's very elitist and anti-social of me, but I prefer being on my own. Plus, it makes sneaking Christian into my room at night that much easier.

As for Kate, she was really disappointed when she didn't get into Harvard. It was a longshot for her as her grades aren't the best and she didn't have any connections. She ended up choosing her dad's alma mater, Brown, which is still an amazing school. She was just upset that she wasn't going to be that close to me. Oh well, she'll be visiting plenty, so it's not like I'm never going to see her again. If I'm being honest, I'm a little worried about leaving her on her own. She's a wild one, and I'm afraid without me around her, she might make some questionable decisions. I can only pray she doesn't.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

My parents couldn't have been prouder of me the day I told them I got into Harvard. From a scared 4-year-old boy who couldn't talk, to a moody and drunk teenager, to a Harvard student with the most beautiful girlfriend… I never thought I'd make it here.

I could've ended up in jail… I could've ended up like my crack whore of a birthmother… I could've ended up worse if it weren't for Ana and the light she brought to my dark life.

I can't wait for college to start. No parents, no siblings, no annoying high schoolers… It's really a new chapter in my life, and I want to start it with Ana so bad.

I remember the day of her 18th birthday. I wanted to marry her so bad. We wouldn't have needed anyone's permission. We could have gone to the courthouse, and she would have legally been mine.

I eventually decided against it for three reasons. _One,_ both our parents would have our heads. They would probably have started with the obligatory, " _Oh, you two are much too young to get married. You should wait a few more years before you decide to make this huge step in your lives."_ But after that, they would have been furious that they weren't invited to watch us get married. _Two,_ I know Ana. She's been dreaming of a huge, fancy wedding since she was a little girl. The dress, the flowers, the music… I remember seeing a Pinterest board on her phone one night entitled "Our Wedding." A girl like Ana deserves her dream wedding, and I want to give it to her. I don't want her to settle for some quickie civil service. Totally not romantic. _The third and final reason,_ the ring. I want to buy Ana a huge fucking rock of a diamond ring. I want every fucker out there to know that she's _mine_ , and I think a 20-carat diamond engagement ring will just about do the trick. The only problem with that is there's no way my parents would miss a multi-million dollar charge on my credit card. I could probably get away with anything under a few hundred thousand, but anything over a million dollars would definitely catch my parent's attention. _Damn them._ Anyways, I also want to be able to pay for the ring myself, without using my parent's money.

This is in part why I'm so eager to start college. I've already been forming a business plan in my head, which Grandpa Trevelyan is helping me out with. And I've already got a company I have my eyes set on that is ripe for a takeover. I'm sure I could make hundreds of thousands by just buying and selling pieces of that company off to the highest bidder. The only problem is who would sell to a kid just fresh out of high school? You'd have to be crazy. So that's why I have to pursue my degree. I hope that I can graduate early, so I can start my business already. I'm just itching to get into the business world, and I don't want to wait another day, let alone a year, to call Ana my wife.


	16. The College Diaries Part 1

**A/N: Hey guys! I can't believe it's been more than 2 weeks since I last updated. I've been really behind schedule. With that said, this chapter is a long one. So I hope that makes up for the late update. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **Chapter 13 - The College Diaries Part 1**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

It's moving week and freshman orientation week here at Harvard. Jerry and Christian, who are very low maintenance, have already finished setting up their dorm room for the year. On the other hand, I am still decorating, trying to make this very small room feel like home for a year. This is definitely not the penthouse I'm used to.

I was, however, given free reign over decorating the room. I went for a modern yet feminine feel. I had all the previous furniture taken out and put in storage, so I could replace it with nicer and much more aesthetically pleasing pieces.

And although the previous bed in here was a twin size, I managed to fit a queen size bed for sleepovers with Christian.

I spent days planning my room out. I had the room repainted from an ugly off-white to a nice welcoming light grey. I also could not stand the ghastly carpeting in the room, so I had it replaced with hardwood flooring. All of the new furniture was bought from Pottery Barn and Bloomingdales, and I love how everything is turning out so far.

The closet, although as much as I tried, did not get bigger. I almost cried. _Just kidding._ But this is seriously really bad. I have racks and racks of clothing taking up way too much space in my already small room. I think I might have to rent out an apartment just so I have a place to keep my clothes.

Anyways, most of the things I have left to do is some light decorating — putting some photos on the wall and making the finishing touches.

I made sure to put a framed photo of Christian and I on my nightstand. It's a picture of us during summer vacation of our junior year in front of the Eiffel Tower, one of my favorites of us. I remember when we took that photo. Christian surprised me by picking me up bridal style, so I'm giggling while he's grinning at the camera. He has the same one on his nightstand too.

I also made sure to hang a picture of Karen, Jerry, Christian, and me at the state dinner a few years ago. It's absolutely my favorite picture of the four of us.

* * *

So far, orientation week has been pretty shitty. With Jerry, being "special," he didn't feel compelled to attend any of the mandatory activities for the incoming freshman. It's not like they were going to make him anyway. Unfortunately, Christian and I weren't granted the same freedom, so we had to deal with the monotonous campus tours and completely asinine 'getting to know each other' activities.

Starting on the first day, I could tell that many of the students recognized Christian and me from the constant pointing and whispering behind our backs. Nothing I'm not used to, though. And then there were those who were more direct. They came up to Christian and me, trying to make conversation. Now, I can tell when someone's being genuine – when someone is really interested in introducing themselves and making new friends. However, that was not the case with these imbeciles. They were all fake, their smiles not quite reaching their eyes, plain-old opportunists. There's no doubt in my mind that they saw us as a ticket to minor fame. _Hah, nice try._ I don't welcome fake people into my life.

After the first horrible day, I put on my bitch face. I went for the totally unapproachable bitchy look, with the large designer sunglasses and designer handbags that cost more than most of their families make in a year. I don't come off as a spoiled brat, but when you're best friends with the president's son and you're the heir to a multi-million dollar fortune, you can't trust just anybody. I really do hope I'll be able to meet at least a few genuine, nice girls in my some of my classes. But from what I've seen so far, college won't be much different than the last year and a half of high school. With the level of media attention Christian and I still get, I don't know if I'll ever be able to return to that girl in high school who was friends with everyone.

Despite the disappointing personalities of Harvard's student body, I have been enjoying my time with both Christian and Jerry. I can't let those idiots rain on my parade. I'm going to have the time of my life in college with one of my best friends and the love of my life. No exceptions.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Jerry and I settled into our dorm room pretty easily while Ana has been redecorating non-stop. I'm surprised she hasn't hired an interior decorator yet. You'd think she was moving into a new manor and not renovating one shoebox of a room.

Jerry's lucky ass had the Secret Service haul his belongings here for him. I, on the other hand, had to lug all of my stuff plus all of Ana's stuff up the stairs to our floor. And boy, does that girl have a lot of stuff. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Enrollment for classes is today, so I'll have to definitively choose my major. From what I hear, many students are choosing to remain undecided their freshman year, but that's for people who have no direction in life and see college as a place to 'explore.' I already know what I want in life. At least, I think I do. And while I would love to major in literature and immerse myself in the beautiful fictional works of Jane Austen and Charlotte Brontë, it's not practical. I also know my dad would kill me if I decided to waste his hard earned money majoring in English Literature. Now I'm not saying pursuing a degree in Literature is stupid, I'm just saying there are no feasible good job options with that kind of degree. And let's be real, I want to make enough money after college to be able to maintain my lifestyle.

Christian insisted I still pursue English Literature in college, though. He knows how much I love it, and he said I should do at least one thing that made me happy. _Gah! He knows me so well._ So after talking to Christian and knowing the expectations from my father, I'm majoring in business and minoring in English Literature.

Christian, on the other hand, had no problems with choosing his major. Ever the budding businessman, he is going to major in business and economics. I'm so proud of him. He's already talking about starting his company, Grey Enterprises, with his grandfather. He has a full business plan drawn up, and he already has a company he thinks will be a good starting investment. But I do know his parents will want him to finish college before he jumps full force into the business world. I also know Christian has a mind of his own, so he's definitely not going to wait until after college to start his business. He's so hard-working and brilliant that there's no doubt in my mind he won't make it.

Jerry is no doubt following in the footsteps of his father and is majoring international relations and political science. Who knows, maybe he'll even become the President of the United States one day.

* * *

The three of us are now standing in line, waiting to enroll for classes. Jerry could've made a call to some important people at Harvard, but he wanted to enroll for classes like everyone else. The consequence, however, is that there are two Secret Service agents next to us, making us stand out even more in the crowd.

When it's my turn to select my freshman year classes, the college counselor asks me what I want to study. She then recommends classes to me along with telling me some of the required classes I have to take in order to graduate. I hope I'll be in some of the same classes as Christian and Jerry. I'd hate to be left on my own. By the end of my time with the counselor, I've chosen all my classes.

"What classes did you sign up for, baby?" Christian asks me.

"Yeah, baby. What classes do you have?" Jerry mocks. Christian and I both glare at him.

"Economics 001," I say, remembering the first class on my list.

"Who's the professor?" Christian asks.

I open up the folder the counselor gave me with a list of my classes, professors, and textbooks I'm going to need.

"Mr. Robertson at 9 am," I reply.

"Yay, baby. I'm in that class too."

"Don't sound too excited Grey," Jerry laughs, "That class has like hundreds of kids in it. But you're in luck because I'm in that class too."

We go through all our classes together. The only other class all three of us have together is a writing seminar, which I already know I'm going to love. The boys, well, that's going to be a different story for them.

Both Christian and Jerry are taking some advanced math class. I think it was multivariable calculus. _Bleh._ Since a math class is required, I decided to go with a simple calculus course. As both of us are business majors, Christian and I have an accounting class together, while Jerry has an introductory political science class. My English Lit class is at the same time as Christian's business ethics class and Jerry's US history class. A requirement for this year is a foreign language, and since Christian is already fluent in French, he enrolled in the introductory French class for an easy A. I chose that class too just to be with him. Christian is the best tutor. Jerry, on the other hand, already knows five languages: French, Spanish, Russian, Italian, and even Latin. So to broaden his horizons, he's taking Chinese.

* * *

After figuring out my class schedule, I went back to my dorm to finish decorating my room. Christian and Jerry didn't want to help me. _I know, what a surprise!_ They went to go work out together in the weight room instead.

If you asked me one thing I missed about my penthouse, it would definitely be the closet space. I had to rent out a small apartment just to fit my clothes. And even with renting out that apartment, I still have a few racks of off-the-runway garments and ready-to-wear clothes with absolutely nowhere to put them. _Ugh!_ I'm going to try to find some room in Christian's closet, but I don't even think he has room in his from all the clothes I picked out for him.

While trying to stuff an endless supply of clothes in a very small closet, a knock on my door disrupts me.

I turn around and realize the door is slightly ajar. _Who the hell is this?_ I really hate being disturbed while trying to organize. I need zen.

"Yes?" I chirp as sweetly as possible, not wanting to come off rude.

A shorter girl with long blonde hair steps in. Her clothes appear to be from Gap, consisting of a pair of worn out blue jeans, a white tee, and worn out sneakers. It's a stark difference to the ensemble I put together today: a black Valentino v-neck mini dress and matching studded Valentino block heels.

She startles me by giving me a hug. _Excuse me?_ After an uncomfortable hug, she introduces herself, "Hi, I'm Danielle Crawford. It's so nice to meet you. You're Anastasia Steele, right?"

"Ummm, yes that's me," I affirm. "If you don't mind me asking… How do you know my name?"

She giggles, "Oh, I'm so sorry. That must have been awkward for you. I'm the floor supervisor, so basically, my job is to spy on everyone… Haha, I'm kidding… Anyways, if you ever need anything, I'm the person to ask."

"Thank you. Are you a freshman too?"

"No, I'm a sophomore. But being a floor supervisor is a really good student job, and it really helps towards paying my tuition."

I don't know what to say to her as I've been fortunate enough to never worry about money or how I'm going to pay for school.

I'm lucky that her voice breaks through the silence, "I love your dress. Where'd you get it?"

I suddenly feel self-conscious that I'm standing here in a $4000 dollar dress, while she has to work to pay for college.

Instead of name dropping the brand, I tell her the name of a department store that sells both designer and affordable brands, "Nordstrom."

"You look absolutely fabulous."

She looks over my shoulder at the racks of designer clothes and walks over towards them.

"Wow," she muses, "Are these all yours?" She excitedly looks through the clothes. I don't think she realizes how much each of the pieces cost.

"Yeah…" I reply and oddly feel embarrassed at the gross consumerism.

She takes out one of my more avant-garde purchases – a full-on disco ball dress from Balmain. I don't know where I would wear it to, but I thought it would be a beautiful piece to add to my collection. She pulls out the tag, and her eyes go wide. _Shit,_ if I recall correctly that dress had a hefty price tag of about $7500. _Should I feel bad?_

She glances at me like a light bulb went off in her brain. She frantically puts the dress back on the rack and stutters, "Oh… Oh… Oh my god… You're… You're Anastasia Steele." Yep, she definitely has recognized me from the media.

She continues to stumble out incoherent words, "I'm… I'm so so so sorry for umm… for barging into your room like this… That was totally inappropriate of me… I'm going to go… going to go now."

She runs to the door and I want to say something to her, but before I can she runs straight into Christian's massive body.

When the poor girl looks at what just hit her, she cries, "I'm so so so sorry," to Christian before bolting down the hall.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

After the workout with Jerry, I wanted to see if Ana was up for a hard fuck. _God, I'm horny._ When I open the door to her room, some girl crashes into me, mumbles an apology, and quickly rushes off. _What the hell did Ana do to the poor girl?_

"Who was that, angel?"

"OH MY GOD, CHRISTIAN!" she exclaims, "I feel so bad for her. She's our floor supervisor, and she just wanted to introduce herself. She was saying how she had to have the job as a floor supervisor to help pay for college, and I felt so bad sorting through all my designer clothes."

She continues her monologue, "I mean did you see her dreadful outfit! God! She mentioned that she loved my outfit and was so excited to see the racks of clothes I have. It's obvious she loves fashion. Anyways, she saw the price tag on one of the Balmain dresses and freaked out. She realized who I was, and ran off."

Ana has guilt written all over her face; she looks like she just killed someone's pet. Poor girl.

"Did you get her name?" I inquire.

"Danielle. I can't remember her last name though. I'm sure she'll be popping into your room to introduce herself. Let's hope she doesn't shit herself when she sees Jerry," Ana giggles, somehow finding the humor in this situation.

"How was your workout, baby?" she asks, changing the subject.

I walk up behind her and wrap her in my arms. I try to kiss her neck but she pushes me away.

"You're so sweaty, Christian," she scolds. "And this is Valentino," she says pointing to her dress.

 _Oops, forgot about that._ I most definitely need a shower. One of the shitty things about living in a dorm is that we don't have private bathrooms. That means I can't share a shower with Ana, so no more mind-blowing shower sex. I guess we'll have to settle for more kink in the bedroom.

* * *

 _First Day of Classes_

 **Ana's POV**

Wow, okay. It's my first day of college, and does it sound crazy that I'm a little nervous? If I've learned anything over the years, it's that if you look good, you feel good.

I went for a classic preppy vibe today: a black Balmain button-skirt, a white Valentino blouse, black Gucci heels, and a Gucci tote for my school supplies. I'm definitely dressed for success.

Christian, on the other hand, thought it would be acceptable to wear jeans and a t-shirt on the first day of classes. _Ugh, I swear he's a piece of work when it comes to his wardrobe!_ Anyways, I told him he had to make a good first impression on all his professors, and perception is everything.

Thank God I don't have to micromanage Jerry's wardrobe like this, or else I'd be going crazy! Jerry already does a wonderful job of choosing his outfits, since he's been in the spotlight since he was a kid. I wish the same could be said for Christian, but he's learning. I mean, the man looks good in everything, so it's super easy to dress him.

For Christian, I chose a fitted pair of beige pants and a light blue button down. It was much better than the first disastrous outfit.

Christian, Jerry, and I all have econ as our first class, so we decide to have breakfast before the class starts at 9.

Breakfast is a quick coffee and croissant for all three of us at one of the many cafes on campus.

"Excited for the first day?" Jerry cheers.

"I heard this professor is supposed to be one of the harder economics professors," Christian informs us.

"Well, I already read the whole textbook in the summer, so I should be fine," Jerry boasts.

Christian and I both roll our eyes at Jerry. What a loser!

* * *

Although we get to class 10 minutes before it starts, most of the seats in the lecture hall are already taken. I figure no one wants to be late to class on the first day.

I'm grateful that all three of us arriving together hasn't brought too much attention on us. Thankfully there are too many people in the room to notice us, and most of the students look either anxious or nervous to start their first day and are aiming their attention towards the front of the room.

As my eyes scan the lecture hall for a place to sit, I notice that there's a whole row in the front that is completely empty. Obviously no one is bold enough to sit in that row. Other than that, I don't see any other rows where there are three empty seats.

I know Christian hates sitting in the front as it brings undue attention. Coupled with the fact that Jerry is with us and Christian and I have been 'famous' as of late, sitting in the front would definitely put a spotlight on all of us when all we want to do is blend in.

"Maybe I can ask someone to move," I comment.

There's a girl with dark brown chocolate skin sitting alone in one of the middle rows. She has two empty seats to the right and left of her.

"Hi," I say, mustering a big smile, "I'm Ana. I hate to bother you, but would you mind moving over a few seats. My friends and I really don't want to sit in the front."

"Oh, that's really no problem at all," the girl says gathering her stuff and plopping it onto the next seat.

"I didn't catch your name," I say, setting my bag down on the desk.

"I'm Ros."

"It's so nice to meet you," I chirp and shake her hand. Judging from the non-crazy way she looked at me, she obviously doesn't know who I am. Thank, God! Finally someone who doesn't read sleazy tabloids and is going to treat me like a normal person.

I motion for Christian and Jerry to come join me, and they file in to the seats next to me – Jerry at the end and Christian in the middle.

"This is my boyfriend Christian. And this is my friend, Jerry," I introduce them.

"Hey guys!" Ros greets, just as the teacher enters the room.

The whole class goes silent and focuses their attention to the front of the room.

"Hello class. I'm Mr. Robertson. Welcome to Economics 001. While this is the introductory course to economics, don't be fooled; it is not easy. I recommend keeping up with the work and joining a study group. I find that students who do both are usually more successful in my class. Today we're going to be going over the syllabus and I'm going to assign you a partner for the rest of the semester. Now, I know there are a lot of you in this class, so I'm also going to be posting the partner pairings online along with all of your school emails so that you can connect with your partner. The two of you will be working on a project that is yet to be announced. It will be worth 40% of your semester grade, so I suggest you don't procrastinate and work on it little by little."

Jeez, this guy is really no-nonsense. A little boring and one-note too.

I hear the professor call out, "Fitzgerald Grant and Anastasia Steele."

Score! I got Jerry as my partner. Poor Christian, though. He's going to be left out. He looks a little annoyed that I was partnered up with Jerry, but he still listens to the professor attentively to find out the random person he's to be paired up with.

After a couple more pairs are read off I hear, "Christian Grey and Rosalynn Bailey."

 _Oh!_ That must be the girl sitting next to me. She said her name was Ros, so I'm guessing Rosalynn is her full name.

Ros turns to Christian and gets his attention, acknowledging that they're going to be partners.

For the rest of the class, the professor drones on and on about the topics we're going to be covering this semester. For the first semester, we're tackling microeconomics, which means I get to enjoy lectures about supply and demand, consumer and producer surplus, cost curves, elasticity, monopolies, and much much more. _Riveting, I know._

Christian however, looks like he's in his element. He loves this kind of stuff.

 **Christian's POV**

First day of college. Which means it's just one day closer until I can get out of this place and start my company. It also means I'm one day closer to asking Ana to be my wife.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _It's move-in week, and Ana has locked herself in her room, trying to make it perfect. Jerry and I don't give a shit about how our room looks, so long as it's not a pigsty._

 _I put a framed photo of Ana and I on my nightstand, and that's about it for my decorations. Ana has all these cute lights and photos that she's putting up. Not to mention the boxes and boxes of clothes she had shipped here._

 _Anyways, thanks to Ana I now have a huge wardrobe. She says I'm in desperate need of fashion help, so Ana has taken over my clothing choices. Jesus Christ that girl can shop!_

 _Jerry and I are just chilling in our room, not really wanting to interact with any of the other freshmen. Apparently most people like to leave their door open if they're just hanging out in their room – it's supposed to create a more social environment. But I definitely won't be doing that. I don't need any weird fuckers leering at me._

 _I'm in a dilemma right now. I really want to marry Ana. In fact, I would've asked her the day she turned 18. But right now, the only thing holding me back is my finances._

 _I know what you're thinking. My parents are filthy rich. And yes, they are. But the man in me wants to give Ana the ring and the wedding she wants. And I want to be able to pay for it with my own money, not my parents._

 _But on the other hand, I don't want to wait another second before I can call Ana my wife. I want to claim her. I want to make sure that every other fucker who makes eyes at her knows she's all mine. Mine. My wife. Anastasia Grey. The name has a nice ring to it. Mr. and Mrs. Grey. It sounds perfect to me._

 _Jerry can obviously tell I have a lot of shit going on in my head. He speaks up, "Bro, what's on your mind? Your brain looks like it's about to burst."_

 _Classic Jerry. Always tries to lighten up a situation. He reminds me a lot of Elliot in that respect. Easy going, aimable, and loves to joke around._

" _Do you think Ana wants to get married?" I blurt out._

 _Jerry's eyes go wide, but he takes some time to think before answering me. After a while he finally says, "You know what. It might sound crazy, but yeah. Yeah. I think she would marry you right now if you asked her. And don't think that I'm not supportive because I'd totally be on board if you were to ask her. But is there a reason why you're asking her so soon? I mean you guys are really young."_

 _Jerry does bring up a good point. There's really no reason to get married now. Ana and I are committed to each other, body and soul. We're already married to each other in our hearts. Do we really need to go through the trouble of trying to plan a wedding while we're in college. Not to mention, we're going to be scrutinized by society since we're two teenagers getting married. But then, on the other hand, we could always elope._

" _I love her," I say, plain and simple, "I know she's the one. What's the point in waiting? I'll still feel the same about her in 5, 10 years time."_

" _So what's stopping you?"_

" _You know Ana. She's going to want this huge lavish wedding, and I want her to have whatever her heart desires. I also want to buy her the most ostentatious engagement ring that will make her feel like royalty."_

" _And?" Jerry asks, not seeing the problem I have, "Ana's dad is going to want to pay for the wedding. You know how he is. And last time I checked, you weren't struggling for money."_

" _But it's not my money," I counter, "It's my parent's. I guess what I'm trying to say is that I want to be able to provide my wife with everything."_

" _C," Jerry sighs, "I know that Ana loves her designer handbags and shit, but she'd give up all that in a heartbeat to be with you. The money is just a perk."_

" _I still want her to give her the world. And I don't want to ride off my parent's money for the rest of my life."_

" _Then start GEH now. What are you waiting for?"_

" _My parents will kill me if I don't finish college, dude. And I'm pretty sure that I need some form of a college degree to even be taken seriously."_

" _Are you kidding me, Chris?" Jerry says incredulously, "You're probably the smartest kid I know. If anyone can make it, it's gotta be you. And look at all those billionaires who dropped out of college to start their companies. Mark Zuckerberg. Steve Jobs. Bill Gates. You don't need a college degree to be successful."_

" _So what? You suggest I drop out of college before I even start?"_

 _He chuckles and replies, "No, dude. I mean, maybe just do a year or two. Start your business now, though. See how it's working out, and if you think you can make it as a full time businessman, then drop out of college."_

 _Jerry sure gives some damn good advice. Remind me again why I hated him before I even met him?_

" _And about marrying Ana?" I ask._

" _Ana's not going to care how many carats her ring is or what the clarity is. The only thing she cares about is marrying you. And it's not like you're going to buy her a ring from Jared's. Hell, you could spend about a million on a ring without your parents noticing anything out of the ordinary happening with your account. It might not be a huge statement rock like you want, but I'm sure it'll be something Ana will love. And something tells me that Ana's not the type of girl who wants a diamond that costs a small fortune sitting on her finger."_

 _That is a good point. I highly doubt Ana's going to want a 20 million dollar Kim Kardashian-esque engagement ring weighing down her dainty little finger. I think 5-10 carats is much more acceptable and much more suiting of a bride as classic and beautiful as her._

" _Well, then," I decide, "It looks like I'm going to need to draw up some more detailed business plans. And more importantly, I need to go ring shopping."_

" _I'm happy for you, dude," Jerry smiles._

 _End Flashback_

* * *

All I can think about in econ class is how badly I want to start running with my business idea. The only problem with my original proposal was that the company I was looking into purchasing was based in Seattle. And I'm all the way in Boston. If this company is going to work while I'm still in college, I'm going to need to find the perfect company in Boston. So rather than doing homework tonight, that's going to be my first order of business. I'm positive Ana won't mind helping me once I tell her of my plans to start the business right away.

With all the shit swirling in my mind about starting GEH and finding the perfect engagement ring for my angel, I surprisingly find myself enjoying the class. Well, at least so far. Although the professor is quite boring, I find myself interested in most of the topics he is briefly going over. It's straight up my alley and will be so relevant when I start my business.

I'm a little annoyed when the professor assigns us partners for a project he's yet to announce. Out of the hundred or so people in the class, it just so happens that Jerry and Ana are partnered up. I get partnered up with Ros Bailey, who is sitting next to Ana. I hope she has half a brain. I really don't want to worry about this project while trying to build my business.

 **Ana's POV**

After economics, Christian and Jerry had to head off to multivariable calculus while I have my English Literature class. I'm a little nervous to be going off on my own, but I have to be a big girl about this. I can't expect to be in every single class with my boyfriend and best friend.

Christian sent me off to my class with a kiss then walked off to the math building with Jerry. I have to walk to the other side of campus for my English class, which in these heels is not going to be an easy feat.

I have the first book that was listed on the syllabus with me. It's a first edition my dad got me for a birthday one year, and it's one of my absolute favorites – Tess of the d'Urbervilles.

Unlike the econ class where it was lecture style, this class is small and is set up for class discussions. There are only 15 students in the class, including me. It looks like I'm the last one to arrive, as I had to trek all the way here in my Gucci heels. _Beauty is pain, Ana. Keep reminding yourself that._ I think I might have to go with sneakers tomorrow. Ugh, the horror!

Anyways, back to my class. The desks are in a semi-circle formation, and there's only one open seat left. I make my way to the empty seat and set my things down. There's a shy looking girl sitting to the right of me. She's wearing large glasses and has her head buried in some book. There's a tall blonde guy sitting to the left of me. He's wearing a Harvard baseball pullover, so I'm assuming he's on the baseball team. He's talking to the guy sitting next to him who is the only other guy in the class. The rest of us are all girls.

He notices me taking a seat next to him, and turns to me. _Damn, he's kind of cute!_ Not as cute as Christian, of course. No one will ever compare to him, but if I'm being impartial, he's a very good looking man.

"Hey, I'm Brody," he says with a smile.

"Ana," I reply.

"Where are you from?" he asks, making small talk.

"Seattle. What about you?"

"LA," he states proudly.

"I'm guessing you're on the baseball team," I giggle, pointing to his jacket.

"Wow, how'd you figure that one out?" he chuckles. "So, Ana, what about you. Any sports?"

"If you call shopping a workout, then yes," I joke.

Thank God I'm finally meeting some normal people here, and not like that girl who literally shit herself when she came into my dorm room. I think her name was Danielle.

Anyways, I'm so glad that I'm not being recognized by everyone. Well if they recognize me, at least they're not acting weird or crazy. First I meet Ros, who seemed like a lovely girl and now Brody. This is shaping up to be a great day so far.

"Is this your first class today?" he asks.

"No, I had econ this morning. It was painful to say the least. I'm really excited for this one though."

"Oh, so you're an English major then?"

"Not exactly. I'm actually a business major. English minor."

"A business major who doesn't like econ?" he chuckles.

"I know, very odd."

He looks like he's about to say something else before the professor walks in, and the whole class goes silent.

The professor looks to me in her mid-forties – glasses, short curly red hair, and barely five feet tall. From what my dad tells me, she's one of the most liked English professors at Harvard. She loves teaching the freshmen and the more introductory courses because she wants to inspire students to pursue literature and english as a major.

From her demeanor and smile on her face, you can tell she's passionate about her job. She does, however, have a rather rigorous curriculum set up for us, but I'm not complaining. Writing about literature has always been something that comes easy to me, and I have really come to enjoy it.

"We're going to be reading ten works of fiction over the semester. There will be ten essays, one for each of the books. Each essay will be worth 10% of your final grade. There won't be a midterm in this class, so you can thank me in advance for that. With all that said, this is a hard class, and it's one that requires daily work. Please do not fall behind on the reading, it will only hurt you in the long run. I really do hope you enjoy some of these books as much as I do, so reading won't seem like a chore."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"So how's operation 'Steele to Grey' going?" Jerry asks as we walk to math. Jerry dubbed my plan to ask Ana to marry mee as 'Steele to Grey,' obviously playing off the fact that I want Ana to become a Grey. He's such an idiot sometimes it's funny.

"You know how I went to the gym last night?"

"Yeah," he affirms.

"Well, I actually went to go look at rings for Ana. I had an appointment at Cartier."

"And?"

"They didn't have anything that fit for Ana."

"It was Cartier for goodness sake!" Jerry exclaims, "You're telling me you really couldn't find a ring for her."

"Nothing that was perfect," I shrug.

"So what are you going to do now?"

"I spoke with the head jeweler. He's going to draw up a few custom sketches based off what I told him I wanted."

"And that was?"

"Well, I've been reading up about engagement rings…"

"What a girl," Jerry snarks.

I choose to ignore him and continue, "Well I was saying… I'm certain she's going to love the classic emerald cut ring. And I think I want to go with a trinity style ring, which has two smaller diamonds surrounding the larger one. And I told the jeweler I wanted diamonds around the band as well. But I also wanted something unique, so I wanted a perfect pink diamond under the main diamond."

"That's um... detailed."

"Only the best for my girl," I smile.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I'm really excited for my English Lit class this year. We're reading some great classic novels, some of them I haven't read yet and some of them are my all time favorites. Some of the books we're going to read are Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, Wuthering Heights by Emily Brontë, Animal Farm by George Orwell, Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and The Tempest by Shakespeare. I'm what one calls a literary nerd, but I wouldn't have it any other way.

At the end of class, I get a text from Christian.

 **C:** Lunch baby? Me and Jer are at Annenberg Hall

 **A:** I'll meet you there :)

I smile while gathering my things. I walk towards the door when I'm interrupted by Brody.

"Hey, Ana," he calls out getting my attention, "Do you want to get lunch with me?"

Well, that's awkward. Christian might want to rip this guy's head off.

"Ummm," I stutter, "I'm actually supposed to meet my _boyfriend_ for lunch right now," emphazing the fact that I have a boyfriend.

"Oh," he shrugs at the mention of Christian. "Too bad. Anyways, the baseball team is throwing a party on Friday. Bring your boyfriend. Both of you are invited."

"I'll ask him," I say diplomatically, knowing that parties are definitely not Christian's scene.

Brody looks a little defeated, but at least he backed off after I told him I had a boyfriend. _Ugh, why are guys always interested in me?_

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Hey baby," Ana says, giving me a kiss on the cheek after entering the dining hall. She takes a seat right next to me and I embrace her in my arms. It's crazy to think I missed her this much after being apart for only an hour.

"Hey angel," I smile.

"Where's Jer?"

"Getting food, I'm just holding the table for us. How was English?"

"Would you laugh at me if I said it was fun?" she giggles.

"Not at all." _Damn, that giggle is infectious._

I lean in to give her a kiss, when next thing you know some fucker is calling out Ana's name. I see his eyes roam her body, and I can feel my blood pressure rising. Does this fucker have any decency not to look at my fucking girl while she's practically wrapped around me like a vine?

"Hey Ana," the blonde surfer-looking boy says.

"Oh, hey Brody," Ana replies. I make sure to give him a signature Christian Grey death glare. _Who the fuck does he think he is looking at my girl like that?_

"This is Christian," Ana says introducing us. "Christian, this is Brody. He's in my English Lit class."

"Yeah, nice to meet you bro," the meathead says.

"Nice to meet you too," I spit out.

"Do you mind if I join you guys?" he asks, already setting his food down at our table.

I glare at him again, but Ana gives me a look and mouths, "Be nice."

"Of course you can join us," she says nicely.

 _Ugh, God! Could this lunch get any worse?_

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Well, that was probably the most awkward lunch of my life. Christian kept staring daggers at Brody, and although Jerry and his easy-going attitude joined us, it did nothing to ease the hostility in the air.

I honestly don't know why Christian was so rude towards Brody. He's so irrational sometimes. I don't know why he thinks every single guy is interested in me. He got over Jerry, but I think that might be the only exception.

We've been together for almost two years, and I still don't know why Christian is so territorial over me. I know he has abandonment issues from his past, but he knows I'm here to stay. I remind him of that all the time.

Christian was brooding for the rest of the day. After the horrendous lunch we went to French together while Jerry went to his Chinese class.

After our classes were done for the day, the three of us hung out in one of the libraries, talking about our classes, professors, and people we met throughout the day.

Christian wants to take me out to a fancy dinner tonight. He asked Jerry if he wanted to tag along, but he said he would let us have some alone time. I know I really need to confront Christian about his behavior at lunch. He can't keep doing this to every guy I meet. I'm not even remotely interested in them, but Christian always finds a reason to be a jealous maniac. I love him, but he can be so intense and overprotective sometimes.

* * *

Christian took me to a fancy French restaurant, and we're currently feasting on a delicious rack of lamb, potatoes au gratin, and some roasted root vegetables.

Christian is even wearing a suit. He knows how much it turns me on when he wears a suit. He always looks so dapper and handsome – a natural GQ model.

I'm wearing a long-sleeved black chiffon mini dress with gold polka dots from Dolce & Gabbana. I paired it with gold Louboutin pumps and a gold and black Chanel boy bag.

* * *

"Is there something you wanted to say to me?" I ask, fishing for an apology for his behavior at lunch.

"Umm, no. But now that you bring in up… I need to talk to you about my plans for Grey Enterprises."

 _Grey Enterprises… The initials would be GE… Hmmm, that doesn't fit. Also, people know of GE as General Electrics. That's not going to work. I should tell Christian._

"The name still needs work," I state.

"What do you mean?"

"The initials would be GE. As in General Electrics. I like Grey Enterprises, but it needs something else. But I'm guessing the name wasn't what you wanted to talk about."

"Hardly."

"So what is it?"

"I know you were expecting me to start the business after college, but I think I want to do it now. No, I'm sure I want to do it now."

I'm really not surprised at Christian's statement. He's not a patient person. I didn't expect him to wait until he finished college, but I also didn't think he was going to start the business right when college started. But then again, if anyone can do it, it's Christian.

"You're still going to pursue college, though right?" I just know his parents would be crushed if he dropped out of Harvard his first year.

"Of course," he replies, "I want to see how the business does first. But if it works out… Then I don't know."

"You know I'll support you with whatever you decide is right for you."

"I know," he smiles, "That's why I love you so much. I really want you to be a part of this."

"Me? I know absolutely nothing about running a business."

"Well, neither do I."

I roll my eyes at him. "Christian, you're a genius. I know you can do anything you set your mind to. And plus, you've already learned so much from your grandfather. You're a natural. You exude confidence."

"I still need you by my side, baby."

"What are you suggesting?"

"I really don't know," he admits, "The only thing I'm certain of is that I need you."

"Don't you think that's a bit possessive?"

"How do you mean?"

I guess this is as a good of a time as any to bring up his rudeness with Brody. "Today at lunch," I remind him.

"What about it?" he tries to play it off nonchalantly.

"You were being very rude," I tell him straight up.

I see his body tense up as he replies, "The fucker wanted in your panties, Anastasia."

"Christian!" I admonish, "No he doesn't. Why do you think that?"

"You didn't see the way he looked at you today. He was practically eye fucking you."

"No he was not."

"Are you defending him, Anastasia?" I can see the anger building in his demeanor.

"No!" I shout in a whisper, "I just think it's ridiculous that you think every guy wants to fuck me. Because they don't! For goodness sake Christian, Brody's just a nice guy who I talked to briefly in my English Lit class today. There's nothing there. Do you not trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. It's the guys I don't trust. Need I remind you of junior year at Colton's party?"

 _Fuck, maybe he does have a point._ I know he cares deeply about my safety. And I know he'll always have jealousy issues, but I thought he'd settle down a bit. _Boy, was I wrong._

I pout knowing Christian has a valid point. It would kill him to see in that helpless position again. I do have a problem of trusting people too easily. I'd like to think that people have good intentions. I'm the optimist in the relationship while Christian is the pessimist.

"Look baby," Christian says tenderly, grabbing my hand, "I'll work on my attitude. I just… I just don't ever want to see you get taken advantage of again."

I give him a warm smile and hold his hand across the table.

"Thank you… And I'd love to help you with Grey Enterprises. I just… I don't want to be a disappointment to you," I admit.

"You'll never be a disappointment to me, angel. And look, I know Grey Enterprises isn't your dream; it's mine. But I'd love if you were involved when we start out. You make me a better person. You make me believe in myself. I know you talked about owning a publishing company, and I want to make all your dreams come true, baby."

Christian has such a way with words. I have tears forming in my eyes. This is the sweetest, most perfect man ever, and he's all mine.

"Christian, of course I'll help you with the business. I want you to succeed more than anyone."

"That's so nice to hear."

* * *

Christian practically forced me to order dessert even though I told him I was on a diet. _A girl's gotta keep her body looking good for her man!_

Even after many protests, we ordered a chocolate soufflé and a crème brûlée to share.

The conversation shifts from an emotional one to a business one.

"I know you were looking into buying a company in Seattle. Are you still interested in it, or are you going to look at other options more local?" I ask.

"I'm definitely scrapping that first company in Seattle. I think we're just way too far to make the acquisition effective. Plus, from what my grandfather tells me, I'm not so sure the owner would be willing to sell to someone as young as me."

I nod and ask, "Is there a specific industry you're looking at? Because I'm sure there's a plethora of failing businesses in Boston that you could make a profit selling off."

"I was thinking manufacturing," he responds, "Most of the heavy machinery can be sold to other companies. I'm pretty sure making a profit off that deal shouldn't be too hard."

"And you need me to help you find the perfect company," I state, already knowing what he needs from me.

"Exactly."

We continue eating our decadent desserts in comfortable silence when I blurt out, "Grey Enterprises Holdings."

There is it. The perfect name for his company. GEH. I love it. I hope he does too.

"Grey Enterprises Holdings," he repeats back to me with a beaming smile on his face, "It's perfect."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

The first week of school came and went really fast. I am now fully confident in saying that college is so fucking boring. I sit in class, and all I can think about is how useless it is. I just have so many ideas about starting and growing my business that basic econ and accounting classes are a complete waste of my time.

On the bright side, Ana and I found the perfect company ripe for a takeover. It's a relatively small clothing manufacturing company that's based in Boston. They're going to go under in a few months and the owners are looking to sell as soon as possible.

I've already consulted with my grandfather, and he thinks it will be a good investment. The only problem is that the company is selling for $1 million, and I just spent that money on Ana's engagement ring. My parents would definitely know something was up if I randomly spent $2 million dollars in only a week.

Ana offered to give me the money, but I didn't want to put her in that position. My grandfather insisted that he would give me the million dollars as a gift for graduating high school. I told him I wouldn't accept the money as a gift, so we settled on a loan, which I intend to pay back in full with interest.

As of now, I haven't told anyone other than Ana, Jerry, and my grandfather of my plans to start GEH. Even though I'm not dropping out of college yet, I know my parents will be skeptical. In my heart, I know that all they want is the best for me. But they're definitely going to think that starting this business so young and so inexperienced will be a mistake, but it's a chance I'm willing to take.

I plan on telling my family if the initial investment turns into something. Ana's sure it's going to be a success with all the work we've both put in just looking for the best possible first company to purchase.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I'm so proud of Christian. He's so close to purchasing his first company. I know he's going to be a huge success. I can feel it in my bones.

In other news, I've really been enjoying college so far. On the other hand, I can tell Christian is miserable going to class everyday. I know he'd rather be doing other things like planning how he's going to tear apart the company and sell it off to the highest bidder. But he's stuck twiddling his thumbs in econ and our writing seminar.

Christian's been working his ass off the whole week, trying to make every detail of this deal absolutely perfect. He even managed to get the owner to lower the price by a hundred thousand dollars. Christian tried giving the extra hundred grand back to his grandfather, but he refused, saying if Christian wouldn't take the million dollars as a gift, he would at least take the hundred grand as one.

Christian wanted to spoil me with something extravagant, but I encouraged him to spend it on himself. I already have everything I could ever want or need.

He ended up buying himself some pilot lessons. I always knew how much he's wanted to fly, so I was more than happy he did something for himself. He is looking forward to taking me on a private helicopter ride through Seattle's cityscape, and I can't wait until the day that becomes a reality.

Oh, I almost forgot to update you guys on Ros. She's such a lovely girl. Even though I desperately miss my best friend Kate, Ros is so fun to be around. She reminds me a lot of Kate, in fact. We've become fast friends.

She has the same no-nonsense attitude and bubbly personality – not to mention the amazing fashion sense too. She's also extremely intelligent. She's definitely doing much better in econ than I am. I really need to choose a different major. I'm dying here.

* * *

 _Two weeks later_

 **Christian's POV**

I can't wait to tell Ana how much we've profited from our first deal. I've turned a $900,000 starting investment into a $1 million profit. Wow, I really can't believe I did it.

I've been working all day and night to push all these deals through. Ana's been helping me whenever she isn't doing schoolwork. Whether it be doing monotonous paperwork or doing research on prospective buyers, Ana's been by my side the whole way.

I wish I could convince her to be my co-CEO, but I know this isn't what she wants to do. I'm even surprised she convinced herself into taking business as a major. I know her heart is not completely in it. I don't want to say anything bad about her father, but I feel as if she made the choice to major in business because of him. I was the one who convinced her to at least do what made her happy and minor in English Literature.

In all honesty, I could really see her making fashion and design her career. I see how much time she spends planning her outfits everyday, and how much she loves it. She also has a killer sense of style. I don't think she realizes that fashion could be a career for her. I personally think she would love it.

Anyways, back to the business. In short, I took the clothing manufacturing company and sold off bits and pieces of it to larger conglomerates, but I won't bore you with the details. But wow, one million dollars all made on my own. I'm incredulous.

I also got Ana's ring sent from the jeweler at Cartier a few days ago. It's absolutely stunning, and I know it will look perfect on Ana's finger. The ring ended up totaling 10 carats. The main diamond is a flawless 5 carat emerald cut sparkler. The ring also has two smaller diamonds that surround the main one, each totaling 1.5 carats. The band is also covered in a total of 1 carat of diamonds, and there's a small 1 carat pink diamond hidden under the main diamond, completing the total 10 carats.

I hid the classic red Cartier box in my sock drawer. _I know, very creative!_ I don't know when I'm going to propose yet, but I know I'm going to have to do something spectacular to surprise Ana.

We're supposed to fly back to Seattle for Thanksgiving break, so I think I might do it there. Or I could wait for the holiday season. It's Ana's favorite time of the year, so I could create a winter wonderland proposal scene for her.

 _Fuck!_ I should probably ask her dad permission to marry his daughter first. _Fuck Grey!_ _How could you overlook that little detail?_ As much as Ray likes me, I'm still unsure if he'll allow his 19-year-old daughter to get engaged. We'll see.

* * *

Ana and I are cuddling in her bed after making love for the third time tonight. It's a Friday night and most of the Harvard students are out partying, Jerry included. But I'd much rather be having a night in with my beautiful angel.

Sadly, we're not at her penthouse in the sky, we're in a college dorm room. The usual moonlight that illuminated her natural beauty from her penthouse bedroom isn't present. But that doesn't change how I see her. She's still a sight to look at even in the dark. It's like she wears a halo wherever she goes. My personal angel.

I always love the cuddling part after sex. I never thought I'd be this close with a woman, let alone crave it. In some ways, it feels even more intimate than the sex. My favorite thing to do post-sex is to bury my head into her thick mahogany hair. It smells of roses and vanilla. _Mmmm, roses for Anastasia Rose. Hopefully soon, Anastasia Rose Grey._

This is the first time in weeks that I've had an ample amount of time to make love to her properly. Although, it sure seemed longer than a couple weeks. I've been super busy with securing all these business deals, that I would only have time for a quick fuck.

Ana didn't mind. In fact, she loves when I play rough with her. But I know we were both craving the intimacy that comes with slow, passionate loving making.

"I missed this," Ana states as I run my fingers through her hair, combing out the knots I created from pulling on her luscious locks.

"Me too baby… me too," I murmur, "I'm sorry I've been so busy lately…"

"Don't be," she interjects, "I know you're passionate about this. And I fully support you. How are the deals going by the way?"

"Wonderfully," I smile.

"Care to expand?"

"Extraordinarily," I inform her, "All the deals have gone through."

"And?" she asks impatiently, waiting for the full report.

"We made a million dollars on the sales," I state proudly.

"What?" she exclaims, "That's amazing!" She squeals and gives me a big hug.

"You're the first one I've told."

"We have to tell Jerry tomorrow, then," she declares. "And your parents. And we can't forget Grandpa Trevelyan. Everyone is going to be so proud of you."

"I think we can hold off on telling the family."

It might sound crazy, but I don't want my parents to know just yet. Just based off the past few weeks of non-stop work, I know continuing this business while still in college is impossible. Not to mention my first priority of keeping Ana happy. I'm only one person, and I've been stretched too thin.

I haven't been able to spend as much time with Ana as I would like, and it's been killing me. It's either quit the business or quit college because I sure as hell am not giving up Ana. She's the best Goddamn thing I have in my life, and without her all the money means nothing.

"Why not?" she inquires.

"I think I'm going to drop out." The tone of my voice is nervous, in anticipation of Ana's reaction.

"So soon?"

"Baby, these past few weeks I've been neglecting you and your needs. I don't want to be a boyfriend who's never there. It's either give up college or the business."

"You know I support you. I just want you to make sure you've thought through your decision. And I don't want to be the reason why you dropped out of college."

"You're not to blame, baby. I just have no interest here. I'm bored out of my mind. Plus, think on the bright side, I'll have more free time to spend with you, baby. I know you have needs." I give her a playful wink.

She lightly slaps my chest to chastise me for my innuendo then shifts the conversation back to a serious tone. "You're sure about this?" She looks up into my eyes like she's searching for the answer in my soul.

"100 percent," I state confidently.

"I'm so proud of you."

* * *

A month into school and Christian Grey is no longer a college student. I've now set up shop in Ana's apartment that was meant as storage for her clothes. For now, that will be the headquarters for GEH. I'm hoping to find office space for the business in the future, but right now it's just me. No office space needed.

I still haven't worked up the courage to call Ana's father yet. We're supposed to fly back to Seattle for Thanksgiving break next week, and Ana's dad is coming as well. I'm still debating whether to call him on the phone so he doesn't strangle me for wanting to marry his daughter, or spring it on him during the break. I'm leaning towards the phone call, so he can't physically hurt me.

GEH is doing great, by the way. I think I'm going to have to hire a second in command soon. I've already made a second acquisition that made a hefty profit of $3 million. I'm now working on my third deal currently, trying to acquire another manufacturing company.

Ana's been drowning in school work, so she hasn't had as much time to help me with GEH. Ana was telling me to bring in Ros, but I don't know if I should just yet. I thrive on control, and even though Ana trusts Ros and thinks she's brilliant, I still have problems with trusting people. But I know I'm definitely going to need some help soon.

* * *

Today's the day. I've finally worked up enough courage to call Ray. Well, here goes nothing.

"Hello Ray," I say into the phone.

"Christian! How's Harvard treating you?"

 _Well, that's awkward. Here comes the 'I dropped out of Harvard bomb.'_

"Ummm, that's partially what I wanted to speak to you about."

"What is it son?"

"I don't know if Ana's told you anything, but I recently just started a business."

"Well that's wonderful son. I love young entrepreneurs. But what does that have to do with Harvard?"

"Sir, I dropped out of college. I'm going to pursue the business full time."

I can hear his shock from the deafening silence. "And this business… What's your plan?"

"Well, it's basically just mergers and acquisitions, but I can see room for expansion into different sectors in the future," I ramble nervously, quite uncharacteristic of me, "And my first two deals have already gone through. I have all my balance sheets completed, and I've profited about $4 million in just over a month."

"That's impressive, son. And where'd you get the startup capital?"

"My grandfather," I reply.

"Is that all you wanted to speak to me about?"

"Well, no actually," I sound more and more nervous by the second, "It's about your daughter."

"What about my daughter?" His tone of voice sounds more stern.

"I love you daughter, sir. More than anything. And, I… I… I know we're young, but I know we're each other's soulmates. So I guess what I'm asking for is your permission to ask her to become my wife."

His silence says a thousand words.

"Ray?" I ask, trying to get his attention.

"My daughter's only 19."

"I'm aware, sir. But age isn't going to change how I feel about your daughter. I'll still feel the same about her 10, 20 years from now."

"Then why not wait until you're older?"

"Why should we?" I retort, "I know we're young. Stupidly young. But I love her, and there's no time like the present."

"I trust you have a ring picked out already?"

 _Wait, is he really going to say yes?! Holy mother of God._

"I'm sorry, sir?" I say incredulously.

"The ring. For my daughter. When you ask her to marry you," he clarifies.

"Yes, sir. I have it already."

"Good. Now when is this proposal taking place?"

"I was thinking over Thanksgiving break. But nothing's set in stone yet."

"Good. And Christian…"

"Yes?"

"If you ever hurt my daughter, I will make it my mission to destroy you."

"I wouldn't expect anything less."


	17. The College Diaries Part 2

**A/N: Check out my Pinterest board for this story.**

 **My user name is amandamendess01**

* * *

 **Chapter 14 - The College Diaries Part 2**

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Ana and I are all packed up for Thanksgiving break in Seattle. Jerry and his family are going to Santa Barbara to spend the holiday at their family ranch.

I still have to tell my parents that I dropped out of Harvard, and more importantly, I have to tell them that I am going to propose to Ana soon.

* * *

"Ugh, I hate flying commercial," Ana complains as our flight is delayed 3 hours.

I do have to agree with her though, as pretentious as that sounds. The only problem with us flying commercial is having to deal with the masses of people around us. While sitting at our gate, Ana and I have both noticed people aiming their phones at us, obviously taking pictures. It's very intrusive.

Also, Ana must be terribly uncomfortable. Although I told her to wear something more casual for the airport, she didn't listen to me. She must be dying to get out of those heels right now, but she would never admit it. And Anastasia Steele would never be caught dead in public wearing sweatpants.

It's comical really. She's wearing a Gucci dress with matching heels, and I'm wearing sweatpants and a sweatshirt. Okay, so maybe my lounging clothes are still designer, but at least they're way more comfortable than Ana's ensemble. And it looks like my choice of clothes was the right one, as we're going to be stuck at this gate for quite some time.

* * *

When we finally board the plane and get seated, Ana kicks off her shoes and uses me as her personal pillow. It's lights out for her.

Her engagement ring is safely tucked into my carry on bag. I'm probably going to have to talk to my parents first and get their opinion. However, if they don't support the engagement, I'd ask her anyway.

But something tells me Grace is definitely going to be supportive. My father… Well, that's a different story.

I think I have the best proposal idea. I'd do it at sunset. Hopefully, it won't be raining. I'd set up the boathouse with an explosion of flowers and candles, much like on our first date.

I wouldn't do anything too cliché. I wouldn't get a string quartet or hire a skywriter. I'd simply get down on one knee in the place where we had our first real date. I would write some long speech about how much I love her, about how much she's changed me for the better, about how much I want to spend the rest of my life with her. But that all would be forgotten once I look into those beautiful brown eyes of hers.

I'd forget everything I had written and rehearsed, and I would just speak from the heart. I'd ask her to marry me, and she'd say yes. I'd slip the ring onto her finger, and we would make love in the boathouse under the stars.

I look at the angel sleeping on my shoulder, and immediately, I can vividly picture our wedding day. We're outside in a vast meadow. There are white roses lining the pews. Ana is walking down the aisle. Her hair is down, just the way I like it. She's wearing an elegant pure white ball gown. She looks like a princess… And the next thing I know, I'm falling asleep next to my sleeping beauty.

* * *

"Oh, my dear Ana!" my mother screams when she sees Ana and me.

In typical Seattle fashion, it's pouring rain. Ana was prepared and brought an umbrella big enough for both of us. I'm stuck carrying the bags while Ana runs to give my mother a big hug.

"Oh, Grace!" she exclaims, "I missed you." Grace really has become a mother figure for Ana.

"What am I? Chopped liver?" I snark.

Ana rolls her eyes at me, and Grace says, "Oh, ignore him, sweetie."

Ana giggles and responds, "I fully intend to."

* * *

Ana went back to her apartment to make sure everything was clean and ready for her father's arrival tomorrow.

Mia's out with her friends and is coming home later tonight. Elliot's flight comes in tomorrow night, and my dad's still at work.

I guess I'll drop the college dropout bomb on my mother first.

"How's school been, darling?" Grace asks, "You really need to call your mother more."

"I'm sorry mother. Things have been busy."

"More schoolwork than your used to?"

"Actually, no," I say, skirting around the issue at hand.

"Then what have you been busy with? You better not be distracting Ana from her work. Unlike you, she calls me regularly and updates me on how she's doing."

I feel a tinge of guilt. I really should call my mother more.

"No, I'm not distracting, Ana," I reply, "But there's actually something I need to speak to you about."

"What is it, darling?"

"Promise you won't get upset," I say nervously.

"What did you do?" she raises her an eyebrow at me.

"I might have dropped out of college," I spit out as fast as I can.

My mom's eyes go wide, a shocked expression donning her face. "You did what?"

"I mean," I stutter, "I didn't just drop out with no thought. I started a company."

"Christian!" she screams, "You dropped out of Harvard! What were you thinking."

I run over to my backpack to get my balance sheets to show my mom that this business venture is legitimate.

"Christian Trevelyan Grey!" I hear her shout, "We are not done talking."

I rush back and say, "I know mom. I just wanted to show you this."

I hand her my company's financial statements and her eyes scan the page. "What am I looking at, Christian?"

"The number at the bottom," I explain, "That's the company's profit. Mom, I really hope you know I didn't drop out of Harvard on a whim. I started my business and things kind of got crazy juggling school and work. Something had to give. And people go to college to become successful later in life. But with these numbers… I don't need to waste four years of my life in classes."

I see a tear fall down her cheek, and for the first time since I was adopted, I give my mother a real hug.

"I'm sorry, mom. I didn't mean to upset you."

"I'm not upset, darling. Look at what you've accomplished. My successful son. I'm a bit disappointed that you're not going to be graduating from college. But upset? Far from it."

I feel relieved that Grace is on my side, but God only knows what my father is going to say.

"Thank you, mom," I say as I break away from our embrace.

"I don't think your father is going to be happy though," she states.

"I figured," I reply, "There's also something else I need to talk to you about."

I pull out Ana's engagement ring from my pocket, open the box, and show my mother.

She gasps, completely astonished. "Is that what I think it is?"

"If you were thinking an engagement ring, then yes," I smile.

"Oh, darling." There are more tears streaming down her face now. "I… I… don't know what to say. I'm so happy for you. It's beautiful. Ana's going to love it."

"You aren't concerned that we're too young?" I ask, surprised at her reaction. Hmmm, I thought she would have been a bit more reluctant to offer her support.

"I know you, darling. You don't make decisions lightly. And I know there's no way in hell that anything I say will change your mind. Plus, Ana is a fabulous young lady. She makes you happy, and that's all any mother can ask for."

* * *

"YOU WHAT?!" Carrick screams at me from inside his study.

After talking to my mom, I felt on top of the world. She supported me dropping out of Harvard. She was supportive of the business. She was so damn excited that I was going to ask Ana to be my wife. But my high has come crashing down now that I'm talking to my father.

"I dropped out, dad," I say as calmly as I can, "And I started my company. Mergers and acquisitions. Grandfather has been advising me."

I show him the financial statements for GEH. He doesn't need an explanation as to what all the numbers mean, as he's dealt with spreadsheets like this before.

"CHRISTIAN TREVELYAN GREY! You cannot drop out of college without telling your parents first! And this little business venture... Sure, it looks promising now, but you know how volatile investment can be. You could crash and burn within the next couple of days."

"I'm sorry, father," I raise my voice, "But I'm an adult now. I don't need your permission. And I've been making the right investments."

"How can you be so sure? Christian, what the hell would happen if this little business would fail tomorrow? You'd be unemployed and uneducated! How could you be so stupid?!" he screams.

"It's not going to fail," I growl.

"I didn't raise my son to be stupid! This is all play money. What $4 million? It's nothing. What are you thinking? That if you fail you'll just come running back home?"

Great, now I just feel belittled and unimportant. Gotta thank Carrick for that.

"Well, I'm sorry you feel that way, but I don't need your money," I respond, not wanting to continue this screaming match.

"Is it because of her?"

Oh, no, no, no. Did he just bring up Ana? Oh, I don't think so. Insult me all you want, but if you come after my girl, I will not stand for it.

"Are you accusing Ana of something?"

"Did she encourage you to do this? Drop out of college to follow your dreams. That's the kind of advice only dumb girls will give you."

"You know what? FUCK YOU!" I shout, "Don't you ever speak that way about Ana ever again. She's the smartest, most hardworking girl I know. And you know what? Yeah, she encouraged me to start GEH. And it's the best fucking advice she ever gave me."

I want to leave the conversation there and storm out of my father's study. I head for the door and he shouts, "Christian Grey! This conversation is not over. If you don't drop this silly business idea and head back to college, we're cutting you off."

I scoff at his empty threat. Like Grace would ever let her son go without money.

"Then do it," I taunt him, "I couldn't care less."

I slam the door to Carrick's study shut. Dammit, I have a fucking headache. All I want to do right now is bury myself inside of Ana. I need her like I need air to breathe.

After the upsetting conversation with my father, I head to my room. I'm supposed to be staying with my parents this week, but fuck it. Carrick is such a fucking asshole. I gather my things and take a suitcase downstairs with me, prepared to crash at Ana's place.

Grace obviously heard the commotion from upstairs only a few minutes ago and is waiting for me at the foot of the stairs.

She gives me a sympathetic look and says, "Darling, your father just needs some time to cool down. You know how short-tempered he can get."

"Well, you didn't hear some of the things he said to me. I'm going to Ana's."

I brush past her and walk towards the garage. She comes after me and says, "He didn't mean it, Christian."

"Mom, he tried to blame Ana for me dropping out of college. It was my choice, not hers. All she did was support me and offer me advice. And also he belittled me and made my accomplishments seem inconsequential," I rant, "I'm not staying here. And I'm not even sure I'm going to bring Ana here for Thanksgiving judging by the way Carrick spoke of her and treated me."

"Darling, it's Thanksgiving. You have to be home," she insists.

"Not if Carrick is going to act like that." I know I'm being petulant, but you'd think your father would be a little more supportive of you after you showed him a $4 million profit sheet. Fuck him.

I slam the garage door shut and hop into my R8, putting my suitcase in the trunk. _Damn, I missed driving this baby._ I pull out of the driveway as quickly as I can and slam my foot on the accelerator, wanting to get to Ana's as soon as possible.

You know what? I don't fucking need Carrick's approval. I'm going to work 10 times as hard to prove him wrong. I'm going to be a fucking billionaire by the time I'm 25. You just fucking watch.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I'm in the kitchen making dinner when I hear the elevator ding, signaling someone's arrival. I see Christian schlep into the foyer with a suitcase. I thought he was going to stay at his parent's house tonight. He looks tense, upset even.

"Hey baby," he says sauntering towards me.

I can tell something is wrong by the look on his face. "I thought you were supposed to be at your parent's tonight."

He doesn't answer me and starts picking at the food. "Baby, what's wrong?" I press, looking at him straight in the eye.

"My father," he grunts.

I put the knife that I'm using to cut onions down and walk to the other side of the counter. I maneuver his arms around me and bring my hands to his face.

"Tell me what happened," I say softly, encouraging him.

"I told them about dropping out of college," he admits.

"And they didn't take it too well?" I guess.

He huffs and replies, "Grace was a bit disappointed at first. But then I showed her the statements for GEH's earnings and she cried. She was proud of me."

"And your father? Was he supportive as well?"

"Quite the opposite actually. He screamed at me. Told me I made a huge mistake dropping out of Harvard. He thinks the business is going to fail."

He's worked so hard these past couple months, I know hearing his own father predict his failure must have been devastating. But I know Carrick was probably just lashing out at hearing Christian dropped out. Once he realizes how amazing Christian's business venture is, he'll come around eventually.

"Baby, I'm sure your father didn't mean it. He said it in the heat of the moment. He'll come to see you made a good choice."

He rolls his eyes and responds, "Do you know what he said to me Ana? He had the audacity to blame you for me dropping out. And he even gave me an ultimatum. It's either find a way back into college or he's going to cut me off."

"Christian your father would never do that to you."

"Well he might try, but Grace would never allow it. The reason why I'm so fucking angry is because he had the audacity to bring you into this."

I can see him tense up in my arms, and I can feel his heart rate going up. I stand on my tip-toes to press my lips to his cheek in an attempt to subdue him.

"I'm so fucking angry right now."

"I know baby," I say, running my hands along his arms.

"You're the best fucking thing that's ever happened to me. My dad has no fucking idea. He still sees me as that troubled teen he was about to ship off to military school."

"Then prove him wrong," I state.

* * *

Christian was silent all throughout dinner. I even made his favorite mac & cheese, but it did nothing to lift his spirits.

I know just what he needs. His dad made him feel like he didn't matter, made him feel small. He needs control; he craves it. And that's precisely what I'm going to give to him tonight.

Like the good boyfriend he is, Christian helps me clear the table and wash the dishes. I quickly run up to my room to retrieve a pair of handcuffs Kate bought me as a gag gift one year. The cool metal brushes against my warm skin, and I get excited imaging how Christian will use these.

When I go back downstairs, Christian is finishing up the dishes. He gives me a half-hearted smile when he sees me. As I walk towards him, I keep the handcuffs behind my back, prepared to surprise him.

"Would this please you sir," I say playing the role of the perfect submissive. I keep my eyes downcast and hold out the handcuffs for him.

"Ana, baby. What are you doing?"

I momentarily break the role of a submissive and look into his eyes. "You need the control Christian. I know you. Take it; I'm yours."

I see his eyes change from its usual stormy grey to pitch black, and I know my confident and dominant Christian is back.

He takes the cuffs from me then commands, "Turn around."

I do as I'm told, and Christian unzips my dress.

"Go upstairs and wait for me on the bed." His voice booms through the apartment.

"Yes sir," I murmur, giving him a sly smile before rushing upstairs.

I kick off my heels and wait in anticipation on the bed. I wait a few minutes, but Christian still isn't here. That bastard. He's purposely making me wait. Well, I'll show him.

I decide that I need to take matters into my own hand. I slowly lower my hand into the waistband of my panties. I'm already soaking wet. I boldly dip two fingers into my pussy. _Mmmmm, it feels heavenly._ I lean back onto the bed and release a soft moan.

I want Christian to find me like this. I want him to punish me. With my other hand, I pinch my nipple through the soft lace of my bra. I start pumping two of my fingers in and out of me. I moan louder this time, hoping to catch Christian's attention.

It works because moments later, I hear footsteps approaching. Christian opens the door to find me with my head thrown back and my fingers not stopping their movement inside of me.

"Well, well, well," he remarks, "Look what we have here."

I open my eyes and see him leering over me. His shirt has been thrown to the side of the room, and he's sporting a very visible boner. I grin and bite my lip.

"What are you going to do about it, sir?" I taunt. I remove my fingers from my center, bring them to my mouth, and suck. I taste sweet and salty.

 _Oooh, it looks like I've made him upset._ I can't wait for him to take it out on my body.

"Stand up," he commands, and I obey.

He produces the handcuffs and gives me another order: "Hands behind your back."

He secures the cuffs on my wrist and whispers, "Are you comfortable, baby?"

I try to move my arms, but they barely move an inch. I feel totally at Christian's mercy, and I feel sexy, wanted, and loved. "Yes," I gasp.

"Good," he says then smirks, "I want to be very rough with you."

"Then be rough with me."

"On your knees," he orders, and I comply.

He pulls down his pants, freeing his erection.

"Suck." _Gladly._

Without hands, it makes things much more difficult, but I'll find a way. I open my mouth wide to accommodate his girth and he helps me by thrusting his pelvis towards me.

I feel his hands grab the back of my head, pushing his erection to the back of my throat. Ever since Christian found out that I don't have a gag reflex, he's been taking advantage of it. And I've been more than happy to let him.

"Fuck," he moans, and a stream of wetness runs down my thigh. _I love pleasing my man._

He slowly thrusts in and out of my mouth, hitting the back of my throat every time. When he pulls back I hollow my cheeks and swirl my tongue around the tip, earning a deeper moan from him every time.

When he finally pulls out of my mouth, he stares and me intently and whispers, "I think you need to be punished for playing with yourself? What do you think, baby?"

"I think sir should do whatever he pleases."

"Good answer baby," he says, bringing me up from my knees and crashing his lips to mine.

He falls on top of me on the bed and starts pulling down my panties. At this point, I'm desperate for his touch.

"Please sir," I mew.

"Impatient, Anastasia," he says gruffly.

He quickly makes work of my panties and tosses them to the side.

"Open up, baby," he says while diving his head between my legs.

His tongue makes contact with my clit, and I shudder. I want to run my hands through his hair and push him closer to my core, but I'm a bit tied up at the moment.

"Please," I moan, not knowing what I'm begging for.

"I don't think bad girls deserve to cum," he murmurs, then goes back to lapping at my juices.

"Ohhh, please, sir. I'll be a good girl for you." He pushes one, then two, then three fingers into me, and I feel dizzy with need.

"Please, please," I cry out.

"Don't you dare cum until I say so," he grunts, continuing his assault on my pussy.

"Chris… Christian… I don't think I can hold it sir."

He curls his fingers forward, hitting my g-spot, and I know I'm a goner. My body starts to shudder and for a moment, my whole world temporarily goes black.

"Hmmm. First you play with yourself without my permission, then you cum when I explicitly told you not to." His eyes are pitch black, and his gaze in intense.

"I'm sorry sir," I mumble.

"Across my lap," he demands, and I already know I'm in for one hell of a spanking. My inner goddess is on cloud nine.

"I'm going to spank you 20 times, Anastasia. 10 for each infraction. If you make a sound, it's 5 more. Understood?"

"Understood sir."

 _Smack!_ The first strike stings, and I can feel the vibrations run throughout my whole body. I wiggle my ass, in an attempt to ease the pain, but the second strike comes fast.

I feel his erection dig into my stomach while Christian doles out the next few strikes. I'm trying to hard to be quiet. Right now, I just want to scream. And I don't know if it's due to pain or pleasure.

Each spank gets gradually harder and I can feel myself shaking in his arms. By the 15th hit, I'm wanton. I can already tell my ass is bright red, and my whole body feels like it's on fire.

Christian dips two fingers into my core, and I combust. My eyes roll to the back of my head, and I see stars. _Shit! Did I just cum?_

"Fuck baby," Christian grunts, "I think that's enough for now. I need to fuck you."

My body is like jello in his arms. I feel like a feather. Christian removes the handcuffs, and it gives me a chance to stretch my arms and to touch his beautiful skin.

"Can I make love to you now baby?" he asks oh so sweetly.

"Yes, yes, yes," I chant like it's my mantra.

* * *

"Are you feeling okay, baby?" Christian asks while we're cuddling in bed, "I was quite rough with you. I didn't hurt you, right?"

"I'm more than okay," I smile, "I love when you're rough with me. But more importantly, how are you doing?"

"Honestly?"

I nod and rest my hand on his cheek.

"Angry. Hurt. Determined."

"Your father will come around, baby," I try to convince him.

"You didn't see his face, Anastasia. It's like my accomplishments didn't even matter to him."

"Well they matter to me," I declare, "And they matter to your mother, and your sister, and your brother, and even your father. Just give him some time, baby. Work hard, show your father that you made the right decision dropping out of college."

"I plan on it, baby."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I decided against Thanksgiving dinner with my family. My mother was having a fit, but no matter how much she apologized for my father's words, I wanted to hear it from him, not her. Like always, my extended family came, so since I refused to go home, Mia and Elliot had to entertain our cousins. _Whew! Dodged that bullet._

The only disappointing part of not going to my parent's was the fact that I couldn't set up the proper proposal for Ana. Now, I'm not sure when I'm going to propose. I really don't have a good idea, so I really need to brainstorm with Jerry.

Thursday night was a very small affair with only Ana and Ray. Ana made a delicious dinner with all the classics. I even showed her father the ring.

* * *

 _Flashback_

 _Thanksgiving Day_

Ana banned both me and her father from the kitchen. Apparently we were terrible 'helpers,' and we had to get out of the kitchen because we kept eating the food before it was done.

After being banished, Ray asks me quietly, "Can I see the ring, son?"

I run up to the bedroom and dig the carefully hidden ring out of my suitcase.

I bring it down to Ray and he immediately comments, "Cartier. Good man."

I open the box and hand it to Ray. "What do you think?"

When I give him the ring, the oddest thing happens. For lack of a better term, the usual steel exterior of Raymond Steele is gone. His stance and eyes soften as he gazes at the sparkler. It must really be hitting him that his little girl isn't so little anymore. And I'm just so grateful that he approves of me.

"You did great, son. Ana's going to love it."

* * *

 _Back at Harvard_

 **Ana's POV**

Ever since Christian had that falling out with his dad, he's been working harder than ever. He's got five deals on his plate just this week. He refuses to hire help, which I think he might be insane for. He can't do this all by himself.

I keep telling him to bring in Ros. I think she's brilliant and will be a good right-hand for him. But of course, his hard head and his control freak tendencies aren't listening to me. He'll give in sooner or later.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Did you do it?" Jerry screams at me the moment I walk into his room.

"Nah," I reply.

"What the hell man? Why not? Did you chicken out?"

"I had a fallout with my dad," I explain.

"Shit. I'm sorry."

"It's not a big deal," I say, trying to convince even myself, "But I didn't want to run into him at my house, so I had to scratch my original proposal idea. Any ideas?"

"You could take her to a Celtics game and convince someone to put you guys on the jumbotron. At least then she'll have to say yes," he chuckles.

"Ana and sports?" I laugh.

"Good point. Ummm, how about hiding the ring in a champagne glass?"

"How many rom-coms do you watch, dude?" I laugh.

"Shut up. Karen makes me. But I guess I wasn't much help…"

"Nope. Not at all."

* * *

 _Finals week_

 **Christian's POV**

The business is going really well. Exceedingly well. I couldn't have fathomed this kind of success this fast in my wildest dreams. After refusing to hire anyone, Ana finally got me to bring Ros on board. She's now my COO. She's still pursuing college, but I'll convince her to take up GEH as her full time job soon.

Ros has been a godsend. She doesn't take any of my shit (much like Ana) and is an extremely hard worker to boot. I don't think GEH would function without her anymore. Plus, Ana hasn't been having to pitch in as much with all the boring managerial work and has been having much more time to focus on school.

GEH has netted upwards of 50 million dollars with just Ros and I. I know I need to expand soon and fast. I'm going to start looking for office space soon. And I need to start hiring people fast. I need to hire a few lawyers first. Up to this point, I've been using my grandfather's lawyers to review contracts, but GEH definitely needs some of their own. I also really need to get an IT guy. I want GEH to be as technologically advanced as possible, so I'm going to need to start by setting up an internal GEH server for future employees. Christ, this is absolutely crazy.

Billionaire by 25... Try billionaire by 21. That'll prove you wrong, Carrick.

* * *

 **Seattle Nooz**

Well, well, well readers. I know all of you have been dying for more information on the hunky Christian Grey and the beautiful Anastasia Steele. Ever since both of them started college at Harvard University, they've been slipping under our radar. But sources have confirmed that Christian Grey has dropped out of college.

Now, I know what you're all thinking. Who in their right mind would drop out of a prestigious university like Harvard? Well, Christian Grey did. And do you know why? Seattle's own Christian Grey started his own company, Grey Enterprises Holdings, in the business acquisitions and mergers. Now, we have no idea what kind of business Mr. Grey is involved in, but his company is estimated to be worth $50 million already.

We here at the Nooz are all dying to see more of this sexy CEO. And we'd love to know what Miss Anastasia Steele thinks of her boyfriend's recent success. We think there's a new power couple on the rise.

That's all for today…

* * *

 **Bloomberg Businessweek**

Grey Enterprises Holdings (GEH), the new acquisitions and mergers firm, headed by teenage Christian Grey is on track to be worth hundreds of millions in the next few months.

Christian Grey, the 19-year-old Harvard dropout headquarters his business in Boston out of a small apartment. It's hard to believe that Grey, at such a young age, is America's next up-and-coming businessman.

Grey is from Bellevue, Washington. His father, Carrick Grey is the president of Grey & Associates, one of the leading law firms on the west coast. His mother, Dr. Grace Trevelyan Grey is the head of surgery at Seattle Grace, one of the best hospitals in the United States. It is also important to note that Christian Grey was adopted at the age of 4 out of foster care.

Currently, GEH only has two full-time employees, but word is that the company is looking to expand and are hiring, and hiring fast.

We reached out to Christian Grey for an interview or a chance to comment on this article, but he declined.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I wake up this morning wrapped in Christian's arms. We're in the tiny apartment that is home for my overflow of clothes and GEH. Christian's finally been able to let go of some of the reigns, and brought Ros in as his COO.

The company is growing really fast. It went from working on a few acquisitions a week to dozens of them. And every time, Christian keeps getting richer. He's definitely going to have to hire a team soon, and I'm excited to help him search for the best people.

On the other hand, it's a shame Christian hasn't talked to his father in a month. I know Carrick would be so proud of his son. He was just irrational and upset that Christian dropped out of college, but now that he sees how successful his son has become, he'll be so proud and supportive. But both of them are so stubborn, they don't want to be the first one to pick up the phone.

Oh that reminds me, Christian and I decided to spend Christmas with Jerry in Washington D.C. Grace was not happy that we weren't going to be home for Christmas, but Christian really didn't want to face his father. Mia was really upset that her brother wasn't coming home for Christian, so she guilted Christian into inviting her to D.C. with us. And it's perfect because the bffs Mia and Karen can spend time together. Elliot has to stay in New Haven for football, so Grace and Carrick are going to be on their own this Christmas.

Christian's phone disrupts me from my thoughts. I roll over to look at the caller ID and see that his dad is calling him. They really need to talk.

I grab his phone of the nightstand and attempt to wake him up.

"Baby," I say, lightly brushing his face with my hand, "Wake up."

He opens his beautiful grey eyes and smiles at me. It's almost a sweet moment before his eyes go straight to my uncovered breasts.

"Christian!" I chastise, "Get your mind out of the gutter. Your father's calling you."

He slumps back on the bed and sighs. "I don't want to talk to him."

"Christian! Please. You have to talk to your dad. I know he hurt you, but he's sorry."

Instead of responding, he gets out of bed and walks to the bathroom, avoiding the situation. _Ugh, the stubbornness of this man!_

I decide to pick up the phone instead, "Hi, Mr. Grey!"

"Ana," he says sounding surprised, "How are you?"

"I'm well. And you?"

"Disappointed that you and Christian won't be coming home for Christmas. Grace is very upset too."

"I'm sorry, Mr. Grey…" I say not knowing what else to say.

"It's not your fault Ana. Is my son there? I really want to speak to him."

"Hold on."

I walk to the bathroom where Christian is hiding, and in a whisper I demand, "Talk to him. Now."

Begrudgingly he takes the phone from my hand, and I go back to the bedroom to give them some privacy. _God, I hope this turns out alright._


	18. The Proposal x2

**Chapter 15 - The Proposal x2**

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"What?" I say rather rudely into the phone.

"Christian," my father says cooly, "Your mother tells me you and Ana are going to D.C. with Jerry Grant for Christmas."

"We are," I confirm.

"Well, your mother is very upset that you won't be home. Is there any chance you and Ana would change your plans?"

"No."

"Christian…" he presses.

"Is that all dad?" I spit out.

"Yes, that's all. Goodbye."

And here I was thinking, hoping that he was going to apologize to me. Whatever. I don't need his support or his apology. It's meaningless anyway.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I've been really stressed out this week. Between more tension with Christian and his father and having to deal with finals, I've been barely getting any sleep. Not to mention the fact that Christian loves to keep me up all night.

Anyways, I have a surprise for Christian before we jet off to D.C. He's been so focused on his company and proving Carrick wrong that he deserves something special. When I told my dad Christian and I have been shacking up in a tiny apartment, he was not pleased. But since Christian dropped out, both of us staying in my dorm wasn't an option. And I hate falling asleep without Christian, so the small apartment was our only option. The apartment originally intended for my clothes was a short walk from Harvard Square, but my dad was still concerned about my safety in that area.

Long story short, my dad bought us a stunning Renaissance style townhouse in Back Bay, and it's only a short 10-minute commute to school. Christian's going to be over the moon. It has a stunning view of the Charles River, and there's so much space. The massive his and hers closet was exactly why my dad picked the place. Plus, my baby's going to have space for a grand piano. I love listening to him play for me.

GEH is on its way to hiring soon. But I think he's going to hold off on bringing in anyone new until the new year. Christian's been talking about office space soon, so I'm really looking forward to that. But for now, I already have a prime piece of real estate to show him.

Jerry knows about the townhouse already. We went to go check it out before my dad bought in when Christian was working. I didn't want to leave Jerry in the Harvard dorms all alone, so I had to convince his mom to give up on the 'normal college experience' to let Jerry come live with us. And it's not like we don't have the space.

* * *

Our bags are all packed for the airport, but I tell the driver to make a quick stop to the townhouse first so I can surprise Christian.

"Where are we going, baby?" he asks when the car comes to a stop.

"You'll see," I reply giddily, "Come on."

We both step out into the brisk Boston air. Ever since that Bloomberg article came out about Christian, the young up-and-coming hotshot CEO, we've been seeing the paparazzi from time to time. We both hate it, but we know it comes with the territory. We got so used to a constant paparazzi presence in Seattle, but in Boston, we weren't as recognized. Well, thanks to that article everything changed.

I breathe a sigh of relief when we don't see photographers lurking anywhere. They have an uncanny ability to find us; it's crazy. But because of the unexpectedness of the paps, I've been making sure Christian and I are impeccably dressed at all times, and today is no exception.

Ever since becoming a CEO, Christian's been having to wear suits a lot more, which I am extremely turned on by. I mean a man in a suit? What girl doesn't fantasize about her man in a suit? Especially when your man has washboard abs like mine. Back to my point. I've pretty much eliminated most of his sweatpants and sweatshirts that make him look completely unprofessional.

His more casual wear now consists of slim-fit trousers, dark wash jeans, button downs, sweaters, and sportcoats. Unless he's working out, it's my mission to never let him be seen in public in sweats. At home, it's totally fine, but perception is everything in the business world. Since so he's young, people are already going to have their doubts about him. But if he's perceived by the public as a professional, his business associates are more likely to respect him. As they say, dress for success.

Christian is looking extremely handsome in a cream Loro Piana cashmere sweater, black Rag & Bone jeans, a black overcoat by Ermenegildo Zegna, and black Giorgio Armani Chelsea boots.

I'm wearing a couture black Valentino midi dress with floral sequin embroidery and puffed short sleeves. I'm also wearing a red Burberry trench coat, black wool stockings from Wolford, and black suede Aquazzura pumps. To accessorize, I have a red Goyard tote and black leather Gucci gloves. I feel like Blair Waldorf.

Christian is staring at me, wondering what we're doing on the street in the freezing cold when we should be on our way to the airport.

"I have a surprise for you," I smile, producing the key to the apartment from my purse.

Christian looks confused as I lead him to the front door.

"Why do you have the key to this place, Ana?"

I open the door and walk inside, holding Christian's hand.

"This is your surprise," I say, beaming.

"You're kidding, right?" he asks incredulously.

"No," I smile, "This is our new home for the time being."

"Ana…" he stutters, "You bought a house?"

"Well technically, Ray bought the house. But it's ours. We can move in after Christmas break," I state.

The townhouse has a total of three stories. As of now, there's no furniture. My dad thought Christian and I would enjoy decorating together. But I'll definitely be the one making most of the decisions.

"What do you think?" I ask.

"It's absolutely perfect."

* * *

 _After winter break_

 **Christian's POV**

Ana and Jerry are all settled in back at Harvard to start the new semester. We're all moving into the new house this week, but Ana and I really need to work on getting it furnished soon. I recommended that we hire someone to do it since Ana has to focus on school and I'm occupied with work. But Ana insisted that we do it ourselves.

The first thing on my agenda this week is to find office space. Ana and I are going to look at three options tonight. I was thinking of just leasing a floor of office space for a few months because with the way GEH is growing, we might need a whole building soon.

Then, for three days Ros and I are conducting tons of interviews for the job openings we have. Initially, we got a boatload of applications, mostly from younger, recent college graduates. Most of them have one or two job previous job references, while some of them are fresh out of college. Very few established adults in the business applied, but I think that's a good thing. I'm looking for young, determined people who will flourish under pressure and work their asses off.

Since we've decided to keep the initial hiring small at first, Ros and I had to filter through most of the applications. We only offered interviews to the ones that stood out to us the most. I want to make sure all the first hires are the absolute perfect fit. There's no room for failure here.

My first interview is with Barney Sullivan for the Head of IT job. From looking at his resume, he's the perfect fit. He graduated early from MIT and has outstanding recommendations from his professors. Apparently, he hacked into the CIA's server, so he must be good. I also have another MIT graduate coming in for an interview, but as far as I'm concerned, Barney's already got the top job unless any red flags are raised during the interview. I might hire the other guy to work under Barney. Not sure yet.

As far as the other departments go, I have way too many qualified applicants for only a limited number of jobs. I'm hiring 4 people for my legal team, 4 for market and data analysis, 2 for accounting, 2 for finances, 2 for PR, and a secretary.

I had to rifle through about 50 applications for spots on my legal team, which is crazy. I think over half of them were Harvard Law graduates, and to be honest, I'm so grateful that my company is fortunate enough to get those kinds of applicants.

I trust Ros's judgments, so I'm letting her conduct interviews for the PR positions, the analytics teams, and the accounting team. I'll be doing the interviews for my secretary, the finance team, the legal team and some for the analytics teams as well.

Whew, I have a lot of interviews to get through this week, on top of securing office space, finishing up a few deals, and not to forget, planning how I'm going to propose to Ana.

Now I know what you're all thinking. Why didn't my dumb ass propose when we were in D.C. during Christmas? The answer… I'm a fucking idiot. I couldn't figure out how I wanted to propose or what I wanted to say, and I fucking chickened out.

But now I'm more determined ever to make Ana my fianceé. It's going to happen; I promise. But I just have to get through this hell of a week first.

* * *

 _One week later_

 **Ana's POV**

Christian's really hit the ground running. He's already hired 15 well qualified people for GEH, and he just signed the lease for office space in downtown Boston.

I'm so proud and in awe of him that he was able to accomplish all of this in such a short period of time. His work ethic is unmatched, and he truly deserves every bit of success he has. But since Christian has hit such a milestone with GEH, getting office space and hiring its first employees, I wanted to do something really special for him.

I got him a Fazioli grand concert piano, and I know he's going to love it. I didn't know much about pianos, so when I went to the store and asked for the top of the line, no budget, the man said Faziolis were every pianist's dream. It had a hefty price tag of $200,000, so it better be worth the money. But I know seeing that smile on Christian's face will make all the money spent inconsequential.

* * *

It's Saturday night, and Christian had an emergency with GEH regarding a deal falling through. So Christian's been holed up in his study all day trying to smooth things over with an associate. Jerry had to go back to D.C. this weekend for an event, so Christian and I are at home by ourselves.

The house is still empty. We have bedroom furniture and a some of the essentials, but it still isn't fully furnished yet. It doesn't feel like our home yet. We also still need to get pictures and art on the walls and work on the decorations. But that can always wait.

I just had the piano delivered and moved into the great room. I can't wait for Christian to see it. I haven't heard much yelling coming from his study in a while, so I'm assuming he should be wrapping things up soon. Christian usually tries to avoid working on weekends to spend time with me, but sometimes it's necessary. I'm not upset though. I know how much GEH means to him. And by no means does he neglect me, if you catch my drift.

I decide to go check on him upstairs in his study. When I pop open the door, I see Christian reviewing some contracts. He looks up from the papers and smiles at me.

"Hey baby," he greets, "I'm sorry I've been working all day. I'm almost done, though. I just have two more pages to go through."

"Don't worry about it," I reassure him, "Can I get you anything?"

"No, but you can go wait in the bedroom," he says with a smirk, "I'll only be 5 minutes tops."

I giggle and retort, "I'll be in the great room waiting for you." I give him a wink before leaving his study.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

A huge fucking deal almost blew up in my face today. The owner of company GEH was trying to merge with another company decided last minute that he didn't like the terms of the original deal and was prepared to walk out entirely. But thankfully, I was able to avert that crisis and form a new deal.

I'm almost done going over the contract of the new deal and giving my final signatures. I'm happy that this headache of a deal is finally behind me. And I cannot wait for the next couple of weeks when all of the new hires will be full-time GEH employees.

I've made one rule for myself – no getting friendly with employees. I'm so young, and whether its conscious or not, they're going have less respect for me. Getting friendly with my staff will only be counterproductive to the company I'm creating and the business environment I want to foster. The only exception to that rule would be Ros. We're already friends, so I guess there's no going back. Hopefully, the new employees will take some of the load off of me so I can spend more time with Ana.

* * *

When I walk downstairs, I see Ana curled up with a book… And a huge fucking grand piano. When the fuck did that get here? The thing is fucking stunning.

"Do you like it?" she smiles, looking up from the book.

I take a seat at the piano bench and run my hands over the keys. _Holy shit! It's a Fazioli piano. This is amazing._

"Ana… the house. Now, this?"

"You deserve it," she says, joining me on the bench, "The only condition is you have to play a song for me."

"What do you want to hear?"

"Can you sing for me?" she asks hopefully. I rarely ever sing. But what my baby wants, she gets.

I start to play the familiar notes to Ed Sheeran's "Thinking Out Loud" and start singing.

* * *

 _When your legs don't work like they used to before_

 _And I can't sweep you off of your feet_

 _Will your mouth still remember the taste of my love_

 _Will your eyes still smile from your cheeks_

 _And darling I will be loving you 'til we're 70_

 _And baby my heart could still fall as hard at 23_

 _And I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways_

 _Maybe just the touch of a hand_

 _Oh me I fall in love with you every single day_

 _And I just wanna tell you I am_

 _So honey now_

 _Take me into your loving arms_

 _Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_

 _Place your head on my beating heart_

 _I'm thinking out loud_

 _Maybe we found love right where we are_

 _When my hair's all but gone and my memory fades_

 _And the crowds don't remember my name_

 _When my hands don't play the strings the same way, mm_

 _I know you will still love me the same_

 _'Cause honey your soul can never grow old, it's evergreen_

 _Baby your smile's forever in my mind and memory_

 _I'm thinking 'bout how people fall in love in mysterious ways_

 _Maybe it's all part of a plan_

 _I'll just keep on making the same mistakes_

 _Hoping that you'll understand_

 _But baby now_

 _Take me into your loving arms_

 _Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_

 _Place your head on my beating heart_

 _I'm thinking out loud_

 _That maybe we found love right where we are, oh_

 _So baby now_

 _Take me into your loving arms_

 _Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars_

 _Oh darling, place your head on my beating heart_

 _I'm thinking out loud_

 _That maybe we found love right where we are_

 _Oh maybe we found love right where we are_

 _And we found love right where we are_

* * *

When I play the last note, I glance at Ana. She's looking at me with such love and adoration in her eyes, and I wonder why I've waited so long to pop the question. I don't need some huge over-the-top romantic proposal to convince her to marry me. She loves me. She loves me. She loves me. I have to stop doubting it.

"That was beautiful," she muses.

"Marry me?" I blurt out.

"What?" she stammers.

"Marry me?" I say with more confidence.

She doesn't say anything for a while. We just gaze into each other's eyes. I almost think she's going to say no before I hear the most beautiful word come out of her mouth: "Yes. Yes I'll marry you."

I see tears of happiness pooling in her eyes. She launches herself at me, and my lips capture hers in a heated kiss. Then, I carry her to the bedroom where we make sweet, sweet love all night long.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Last night was a dream. I can't believe Christian asked me to marry him. I hope he asked my dad's permission though. But knowing how old-fashioned Christian can be, I'm almost positive he asked for my hand in marriage. Although, the proposal did seem like a spur of the moment kind of thing. It wasn't how I envisioned getting engaged, but I wouldn't change a thing about it.

When I wake up, Christian's side of the bed is cold, much to my disappointment. I look at the clock at it's 12 pm. Shit! I can't remember when I slept in this late. But it would make sense since Christian and I didn't go to bed until the early hours of the morning.

I put on some comfy clothes and go downstairs looking for Christian. I spot him in the kitchen making a complete idiot of himself. I see burnt toast, overcooked eggs, and charred bacon. At least he tried.

"Are you trying to cook?" I giggle.

"I wanted to do something for my fiancée, but I think I failed miserably," he sighs, while pulling me close to him.

"Fiancée," I remark, "I quite like the sound of that."

"Do you know what sounds better?"

"What?"

"Wife," he grins, "Mrs. Grey." And I do have to admit, I can't wait for people to call me that.

He presses his lips against mine, and I moan against his mouth, "Mmm, Mr. and Mrs. Grey."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I'm such a fucking fool. I forgot the ring! What kind of idiot proposes without the ring. That thought just came into my mind this morning right when I woke up. And I didn't get down on one knee either! _Gah, I'm really breaking all the rules now._ I guess I'm going to have to surprise her again with another proposal tonight.

Ana and I celebrated our engagement all night and all day long. Since Jerry wasn't around, we took advantage of the whole house with a fuck-a-thon, christening almost every room. There's nothing sexier than making love to your soon-to-be wife.

Ana is upstairs, snoozing away. I really wore her out today. Since my dumb ass forgot to give her the ring, I'm going to set up a romantic dinner on the balcony and properly propose there. And I won't be cooking this time.

I go to the bedroom to check on Ana, and she's still sound asleep. She probably won't wake up for another couple of hours or so. I think that will give me enough time to properly set up.

I should probably dress up for this occasion too, so I put on a grey suit that I know Ana loves. I tame my just-fucked hair and wash up. I then find the ring buried at the bottom of my sock drawer, and I slip it in my pocket.

The first order of business is to call the florist.

"Hello, Winston Flowers. This is Michelle. How can I help you?"

"I need about 200 bouquets of red roses delivered in no more than 2 hours," I demand, in my CEO voice.

"I… I'm sorry?" she stammers.

"200 bouquets of red roses delivered in 2 hours," I repeat myself.

"Sir, I'm sorry. I don't think we can accommodate that kind of order in such a short amount time."

"How much?" I ask. Money talks.

"Sorry?" she stammers yet again.

"How much would it cost to make this happen?"

"Um… Mr…" her voice trails off.

"Christian. Christian Grey," I state, "Name your price."

"Sir, I'm going to have to talk to my manager, please hold." _Ugh, imbecile._

"Hello Mr. Grey," a much more confident voice rings through the phone, "That kind of order will set you back about ten grand."

"Okay," I state.

I think I just shocked the manager because I hear a sharp intake of breath before he composes himself. "Okay sir, what's your address?"

I proceed to give him my address then end the call.

The next call I make is to Ana's favorite Italian restaurant in Boston. A stunning 3 course meal is going to be delivered within the next 2 hours. I don't want to poison my bride-to-be with my terrible cooking.

The next order of business is to set up the dinner table. And that's when I realize that we have no furniture on the balcony. Well, that's just great. We could always eat inside, but that would defeat the purpose of the mass of flowers I just ordered. Oh well, I guess I'll have to improvise.

There's a small built in bench on the balcony that could serve as seating, but it doesn't look comfortable to sit on. I have to go through our boxes of things to find blankets and pillows to lay out. Instead of a proper table, I stack boxes and place a tablecloth over it, hoping Ana doesn't notice. But knowing her, she probably will, and will laugh at me for it.

I go through the boxes to see if there's anything else I can use when I find a box full of fairy lights. This will be perfect to set the mood since we don't have any candles at the moment. I take the strands of light and hang them all along the balcony's railing and around the sliding door that leads outside.

Shortly after my sublime decorating skills were put to the test, I hear the doorbell. _Crap, I hope that didn't wake up Ana._

When the florist arrives, I order them around in a frenzy about where and how to place the bouquets. Neurotic? Just a little.

About 2 hours into my master plan, the food arrives. I instruct the delivery guys to put it in the plate warmer in the kitchen, and I go check on Ana to see if she's awake yet.

I see my girl still in bed, cuddled up against a pillow because I'm not there.

"Hey baby," I say tenderly, pulling back the duvet and running my hand along her arm.

Her eyes flutter open and she pouts, "Why are you dressed?"

I smirk and reply, "It's my turn to surprise you."

"What do you have planned, Grey?" she asks, raising an eyebrow at me.

"Just get dressed," I laugh, "Preferably something sexy."

And that line makes her throw a pillow at me. I take that as a queue to give her space to get ready.

Before leaving the bedroom, I call out, "I'll be waiting downstairs."

I know it will take her a while to get ready, so I make the finishing touches for tonight. I grab a bottle of Dom Perignon from the fridge (a gift from a business associate), place it in a bucket full of ice, and set it on the makeshift table.

Finally, I put the plates of food on the table and cover them with a cloche. I turn on the lights, and it's perfect.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian has been just so full of surprises lately. He always goes over the top with surprises, so I know it must be something spectacular.

When I look in the mirror, I see swollen lips and messy hair. I shudder as I run my fingers over my lips. I'm reminded of Christian's pure lust and passion while we were making love.

I decide get dressed in something special for Christian. After all, he was wearing a suit, so I should dress the part too. When I get to the walk-in closet, I realize that most of my clothes are still in boxes, waiting to be unpacked. At least I have most of the couture dresses already unpacked. There's no way I would leave them sitting in boxes where they would get wrinkled and destroyed.

I select a classy yet sexy gown from Marchesa. It's a black embroidered silk gown with floral appliqués. It feature a very deep plunging v-neck, so it will give something for Christian to drool over.

I pair the dress with black suede Jimmy Choo sandals and some jewelry Christian bought me. Over the 2 short years of our relationship, Christian has showered me in jewelry, each piece more extravagant than the next. But I'm feeling nostalgic today, so I put on the first 2 pieces Christian ever bought me.

It's a diamond Cartier love bracelet and the matching promise ring. I smile remembering that Christmas night when Christian presented me with the ring. He promised that someday he would marry me and put a huge diamond engagement ring on my finger for the whole world to see. Hmm, Christian hasn't given me a ring yet. I suppose he thinks that I want to pick it out together. I'll talk to him about it later.

After I put on some light makeup and pin up my hair, I walk downstairs. Christian is waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs with that brilliant megawatt smile of his.

He takes my hand and complements me, "You are a vision, Anastasia."

"I know," I blush. "Where are we going?" I ask.

"Nowhere."

"Then why are we all dressed up?" I giggle.

"You'll see," he smirks as he leads me to the balcony. _Is this man crazy?_

When he opens the sliding door, I'm met with a beautiful sight. There's an explosion of red roses, and lights are everywhere. He even set up a dinner table with what looks like cardboard boxes. I would have laughed if it wasn't so romantic.

"It's gorgeous, Christian," I exclaim.

"So you like it?"

"Of course." I leans in and give him a soft kiss. "Especially the cardboard box table," I murmur.

"It was last minute," he explains, laughing along with me.

After our little exchange, we both sit as close to each other as possible on top of all the pillows and blankets.

"So what are you feeding me tonight, Grey?"

"I ordered from your favorite Italian restaurant," he replies, "Cacio e pepe and lamb chops..."

My mouth salivates at Christian's words. "And tiramisu?" I ask enthusiastically.

"How could I forget," he smirks.

He removes the covers from the plates, and I smell the deliciousness. I dig right in, and I hear Christian laugh at me. _Hey! It's his fault that I'm starving. He wore me out today._

Before eating, Christian pops open a bottle of champagne. It was the only thing we had in our fridge. That reminds me. I have to do grocery shopping soon before we both starve.

He hands me a glass of champagne, and we clink our glasses.

"To us," he smiles.

"To us," I echo.

* * *

"This was an amazing surprise, Christian," I smile at the end of our meal.

"It wasn't the surprise."

"Then what is?" I ask curiously.

"Patience, baby."

I pout, hoping he'll give in.

"That's not going to work, Anastasia," he chuckles.

I frown, and he ignores me. "Dance with me," he declares, holding out his hand for me to take.

"Right now?" I giggle, "There's no music."

"So?"

"So!" I exclaim, "We'll look like fools."

"Come on," he encourages me.

"Okay," I relent and take his hand.

He leads me to the other end of the balcony and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me in. I rest my hands on his broad shoulders. And to think, he couldn't stand anyone touching him here before. And now he lets me roam my hands freely all over his body. _Oh, how times have changed._

With no music, we have no direction. We're definitely out of step and look like complete idiots, but I don't care. I'm so so happy.

After a few minutes of dancing Christian demands, "Turn around, baby."

"Why?" I giggle.

"Just do it," he smirks, and I comply.

"What am I doing, Christian?"

After a few moments of silence, Christian responds, "Okay, you can turn back around."

When I turn around, my heart bursts in happiness. Christian is down on one knee, holding open a signature red Cartier box with an elegant and stunning engagement ring.

My hands fly to my mouth, and tears start forming in my eyes. This is the moment every girl dreams about aside from her wedding. I'm completely overwhelmed.

"Anastasia Rose Steele," Christian starts.

"Yes, yes, yes," I cut him off.

"You didn't let me finish," he rebuts, earning a laugh out of me.

I stay quiet to let him say his piece.

"Anastasia Rose Steele," he continues, "There are so many things I want to say to you right now, but I don't know where to start. Before I met you, I was lost. You pulled me out of the darkness. And for that, I'll be forever grateful. You are the most important person in my life. All the money… It doesn't mean anything if I don't have you. You're the person I want to grow old with. The person I want to have children with. The person I want to be by my side forever. So, Anastasia Rose Steele, will you marry me?"

"Yes!" I practically scream, tears fully streaming down my face now.

Christian gets up from his knees and carefully places the ring on my finger.

Right now, I don't care about admiring the ring. All I want is Christian.

I practically jump his bones and pull him into a heated kiss, desperation filling the air.

"Take me to bed, Christian," I gasp.

"As you wish, soon-to-be Mrs. Grey."


	19. Carpe Diem

**Chapter 16 - Carpe Diem**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

When I wake up this morning, I'm reminded of the weight around my ring finger. I haven't gotten a real chance to look at it yet, but just judging from the weight, Christian definitely did not disappoint in size.

Christian's sleeping body is wrapped around me like a vine, so I have to wiggle out of his grasp to catch a glimpse of my ring.

I'm stunned when the large diamond catches the sunlight. It's simply gorgeous. The main diamond is very large, but it's not gaudy. It's classy, elegant, and very me. Christian knows me so well. It's perfect.

I can't wait to tell all our family and friends, but I'm a bit apprehensive because I don't know how they'll all react. Plus, this news will hopefully allow Christian and Carrick to patch things up. Every time I bring up talking to his father, Christian clams up and changes the conversation. Oh well, they'll both get over it soon.

I absolutely cannot wait to tell Mia, Kate, and Karen. I know all of them will want to help me plan my wedding, which is definitely going to be the event of the year. I'm going to make sure of it.

* * *

When Christian finally wakes, all he wants to do is have sex with me. I definitely wouldn't be opposed to that on any other day, but there's so much to talk about! We need to talk about wedding details, of course!

"No funny business, Grey," I chastise him while he's attacking my neck with kisses.

He removes his lips from my neck and pouts like a sad puppy. _That's not going to work on my Grey!_

I give him a stern look, and he relents. "Do you like your ring?" he asks, changing the subject.

"It's just what I would've picked out for myself," I say, holding out my hand to admire it again. "You did ask my father, though right?"

"Yes, I asked your father for your hand," he affirms, placing a soft kiss on my ring finger. "I'm very traditional that way."

"Good," I smile, "I don't want Ray shooting you," I giggle. "And your parents?"

"I told my mom I was planning to propose to you." I want to ask about his dad, but I don't want to kill the mood such a lovely morning. So, I just choose to save that conversation for a later date.

"When was this?" I ask.

"Thanksgiving."

"What took you so long?" I say, raising an eyebrow at him.

He shrugs and replies, "Nervous, scared, anxious. A combination of all of those emotions."

"Well, I would've said yes in a heartbeat. Anyways, when are we planning on sharing the news?"

"I kind of want to keep you to myself for a little bit," he smirks, flipping my naked body on top of his.

He reaches down to my core and whispers, "You're very, very wet for me, Anastasia."

"Mmmm," I manage to moan, as he circles my clit.

"I guess we could tell our family right now," he murmurs into my mouth.

"Don't you dare leave me hanging," I warn.

* * *

After our morning romp, I finally get on the phone to call my dad and tell him the good news.

"Hi, Annie," he answers.

"Hey, dad!" I great, "You're on speaker with Christian. We have some good news for you."

"What is is Annie?" my dad asks, pretending like he doesn't know what we're about to tell him.

"Well, Christian asked me to marry him yesterday. And I said yes."

"Congratulations. I'm so happy for the both of you."

"Thanks, Ray," Christian chimes in.

"Do you have a date for the wedding yet?" Ray chuckles.

"Daddy!" I scream, "We haven't talked about that yet. We've only been engaged for a day."

Christian laughs along with my father.

"Well, Annie. Knowing you, I thought you'd already have the wedding planned already."

"Haha, very funny, dad." Don't worry, I have a whole Pinterest board full of wedding related things.

"We're hoping to have it soon," Christian smiles brightly at me, and I nod my head confirming his statement.

"Yes, very soon," I echo.

"That's great," Ray remarks, "I'll leave you two for now. I have some work to do."

"Okay, daddy. We'll keep you updated on all the wedding details. Love you."

"Love you too."

After I end the call Christian inquires, "When were you thinking about having this wedding?"

"I would get married to you tomorrow if I could," I state.

"We could always fly to Vegas right now. We'd be married by tomorrow."

"I highly doubt our family would be too happy about that," I retort.

"No, they wouldn't," he agrees, "But if it would make you happy..."

"I've always dreamed of a big wedding," I smile, remembering my wedding fantasies as a young girl. "But there's also a part of me that just wants to be your wife."

"Then let's do it."

"Do what?"

"Get married right now."

"Are you crazy?"

"A little," he smiles smugly. "We could go to the courthouse and elope. It would be just us. Then in 6 months, we could have your dream wedding. Who says we can't make the commitment now?"

"Okay," I grin, "Let's get married."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

We're really doing this. We're really getting married. A lifetime with Ana doesn't sound too bad. Anastasia Grey. Anastasia Rose Grey. A beautiful name for a beautiful girl.

Before leaving, Ana and I sent a mass text to all our friends and family. It was a selfie of us with Ana holding up her ring for everyone to see. We sent it with the caption 'soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Grey.'

We also made a quick call to my mom to tell her the good news. Thankfully, my father wasn't home to listen in, but Grace told me she was going to tell my father when he got home. I guess I'm going to have to man up and talk to him eventually. But we don't need to deal with any of that nonsense today.

After making the obligatory announcements to our friends and family, Ana and I shut off our phones. We don't want any disturbance from the outside world. It's our special day, and we want it to be just us.

Ana and I are in a mad dash to get out of the door and to the courthouse. We're both giddy with excitement.

I throw on my best black suit, and Ana puts on the only white gown she has in her closet. We hop into the Range Rover, and I drive us to the courthouse, both of us ready to make the biggest commitment of our lives.

"The rings!" Ana shouts, "We don't have any rings!"

"Crap," I mutter, "Umm, quick detour to Cartier?"

* * *

"Ah, Mr. Grey," the jeweler that made Ana's ring recognizes me when I walk into the store. "This must be her. _Molto bella!_ "

"Mr. Ricci," I reply, "This is Anastasia Steele."

"Ana, this is Mr. Ricci. He's the one who designed your ring."

Mr. Ricci is a very flamboyant man, and his outfit reflects that. He's wearing a powder blue suit, a candy-striped tie, and tons of jewelry. I don't think I have to worry about him hitting on Ana.

"Bellissima, Anastasia," he says giving her a hug. He takes her left hand and examines the ring. "I did a magnificent job, didn't I?"

"It's perfect, Mr. Ricci," Ana gushes.

"Oh, please, call me Luca," he says in his thick Italian accent.

"We're here to get wedding bands," I interject.

"Oh, Mr. Grey!" he exclaims, "You two love-birds getting married today? You're all dressed up!"

"Yes, we are," I beam, "It's very last minute." I instinctively pull Ana close to me. "We need these wedding bands as soon as possible."

"Anything for you and your beautiful bride," he cheers. "I'll bring out some selections." He then scatters off to the back room.

"Well, he's a character," Ana giggles.

"Now you know what I had to put up with to get you that ring," I joke.

"That makes me love it even more," she says then gives me a peck on the cheek.

A few minutes later, Luca comes back in with a tray full of the most extravagant rings.

"This is for the lady," he says, handing Ana the tray, "I'll come back with yours, Mr. Grey."

Ana holds up a wedding band that probably costs more than people's homes.

"This looks like it could an engagement engagement ring," she remarks.

If my baby wants another monster of a ring, that's what she's going to get.

"Do you like that one?" I ask, "Don't worry about the price. Get whatever you want."

"I think I want a more understated one," she states.

Just then, Luca walks towards us with another tray of rings for me. "I think you'll find these to your liking, Mr. Grey."

In my tray of rings, there is an assortment of platinum bands all very simple in design, with subtle differences in shape. I want to see which one Ana picks first, so I can select one that complements hers.

"I'm going to go with this one," Ana smiles, holding a diamond wedding band set in platinum.

"Ahh, a wonderful choice, Anastasia," Luca praises. "It's one of the more simple ones. 2.5 carats of crystal clear diamonds set in platinum. Very classy for a woman like you."

 _2.5 carats!_ It's almost endearing she thinks that's 'understated.'

I select a standard platinum band that seems like a nice fit with Ana's over-the-top one.

"Can you engrave these?" I ask Luca.

"Of course, Mr. Grey. What would you like engraved?"

I want to surprise Ana with the message on the inside of our rings, so I whisper what I want to Luca.

"Perfetto!" he exclaims, "I should have these done within the hour."

"Thank you, Mr. Ricci," I say, handing him my black American Express card. I think it's time I get a standing account at Cartier. After all, I'm going to have a wife. And she's going to warrant many more gifts in the future.

After looking around the store, waiting for the rings to be completed, I end up purchasing Ana an outrageous diamond necklace for her to wear to our wedding ceremony today. After all, a bride should be showered in diamonds. And it was her 'something new.' I also bought her a sapphire ring for her 'something blue.' And she was already wearing a diamond tennis bracelet I got her a while ago. It's not old, but I guess it will do as her 'something old.'

"Christian," Ana grabs my attention away from the diamonds on display, "Are we going to tell people that we're married?"

She nervously bites her lip, distracting me. "Christian!" she repeats.

"Sorry, baby, You know what it does to me when you bite your lip."

She blushes at my statement, and I continue, "It's up to you."

"Hey! Don't leave this on me. This is our decision."

"I think our whole family would be upset we got married without them," I reply.

"So you think it's best this day is just for us?"

"I think so. What do you think?"

"Honestly," she shrugs, "I'm fine either way. But I kind of think it's romantic to keep to ourselves, though. We'll be able to enjoy this time together. It will also put less stress on the big wedding."

She has a great point. A big wedding is going to consume our lives. We probably won't have much time to just enjoy our engagement and just be us.

"That sounds perfect!" I smile. "Do you want to forgo the rings for now?"

Ana makes the cutest face when thinking. "I know you don't wear necklaces," she starts, "But maybe we could put the rings around a chain, so we can wear it under our clothes. I already have an engagement ring, but you don't have anything. Although it would be hidden, I still want you to be marked as mine."

"I'll always be yours."

* * *

An hour and $500,000 later, Ana and I are on our way to the courthouse. The drive there feels like a blur. It feels like a winter wonderland with snow softly falling on the windshield.

When we finally get there, I rush to Ana's side of the car to pick her up, literally. I don't think she can walk in those heels and that dress in this snow.

Despite her initial protests to be carried in public, she can't stop laughing as I run to the courthouse so we can both escape the cold.

I put her down when we get inside, and we throw off our heavy coats. The people waiting inside stare at us. Our incessant giggling and formal clothing are no doubt the cause.

"We want to get married," I inform the woman at the front desk.

"Do you have a marriage license?" the woman asks, her voice sharp.

"No," I reply.

"Well, you're going to need to apply for one," she says rudely, handing me a clipboard with a form.

"How long is this process going to take?" I ask.

"A few days, usually."

"There must be a way to get this done today," I insist, seeing a pout forming on Ana's beautiful face.

"Well, you're going to need to talk to a judge about that."

Ugh, insufferable woman. So fucking rude and unhelpful.

Ana tugs on my arm to keep me from scowling at that woman. "That's okay, Christian. We'll wait a few days. It's no big deal."

I sigh and reply petulantly, "It has to be today."

"Christian, you heard that lady. Unless you see a judge around here, I don't think it'll happen."

I think God must be making up for my shitty childhood because I see a judge about to walk out the door, ready to leave.

"Excuse me! Excuse me," I say chasing him down.

"Yes," he replies in a quintessential British accent.

"You're a judge, right?"

"Affirmative," he responds, "How can I help you."

"I'm so sorry to inconvenience you, but do you see that woman over there?" I point to Ana, waiting off to the side, not wanting to embarrass herself like me. "Well, she's the love of my life, and we want to get married today. But we were just informed that marriage licenses take days to process. I was hoping you could help us."

The judge continues to stare at me like I'm a man possessed. In a hushed whisper, I continue, "I don't know if you know who I am. But my name's Christian Grey. And I'm sure you'd find yourself very well compensated for helping us out."

"Mr. Grey," the judge smiles, "I know who you are. But I'd be more than happy to marry you two today. No compensation needed."

"I'm sorry?" I'm surprised he so easily agreed and without the money incentive no less.

"You remind me of my wife and I back in the day."

"Thank you so much, judge," I say and shake his hand, "I didn't catch your name."

"John Flynn."

* * *

With a random clerk at the courthouse as a witness, Ana and I are standing hand in hand, waiting to become man and wife.

"Do you, Christian Grey, take this woman to be your wife, to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to her as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," I whisper without hesitation.

"Do you, Anastasia Steele, take this man to be your husband, to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?

"I will," she murmurs, and a tear rolls down her face.

"Christian," John states, "Repeat after me."

"I, Christian Trevelyan Grey, take you, Anastasia Rose Steele to be my wife…"

"I, Christian Trevelyan Grey, take you, Anastasis Rose Steele to be my wife." My voice cracks slightly, seeing happy tears rolling down my bride's cheeks.

"To have and to hold from this day forward…"

"To have and to hold from this day forward."

"For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health..."

"For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health." I run my fingers over Ana's engagement ring, making sure this moment is really real.

"To love and to cherish till death do us part…"

"To love and to cherish till death do us part…" I'm going to cherish her every day for as long as I'm on this Earth. I promise.

John then turns to Ana. "Anastasia, please repeat after me."

"I, Anastasia Rose Steele, take you, Christian Trevelyan Grey, to be my husband…"

"I, Anastasia Rose Steele, take you, Christian Trevelyan Grey, to be my husband…" Her voice is soft and angelic. Another tear rolls down her cheek and I can't help but wipe it away.

"To have and to hold from this day forward…"

To have and to hold from this day forward," she repeats.

"For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health…"

"For better, for worse. For richer, for poorer. In sickness and in health." I can sense tears of my own coming to bay as well, but I don't want the tears to come. I want to remember this moment in perfect clarity, so I can replay it in my mind.

I want to remember the crazy decision we made to get married. I want to remember the lengths I went through to get us married today. I want to remember the beaming smile on Ana's face. I want to remember how beautiful Ana looked in her dress and how radiant she was. But most of all I want to remember this exact moment. The moment when she vowed to love me forever. When she vowed to be my wife, my partner in life.

"To love and to cherish till death do us part…"

"To love and to cherish till death do us part," she murmurs the final part of her vows.

"The rings?" John reminds me.

I have both of them in my suit pocket. I carefully take them both out and hand one to Ana.

"With this ring, I thee wed." I slide Ana's diamond sparkler on her ring finger above her engagement ring. _Mine…_ The word her ring is engraved with.

"With this ring, I thee wed." Ana takes my simple wedding band and places it on my bare finger. Forever _yours…_ The word my ring is engraved with.

"By the power vested in me by God and the State of Massachusetts, I now pronounce you husband and wife." The moment I've been waiting forever for.

"You may now kiss the bride."

I lightly caress Ana's face with both my hands. Her lip is quivering in anticipation. She wraps her arms around my torso and presses her body against mine. This is my picture perfect moment.

When my lips meet hers, everything else fades away. I forget that we're in a city courtroom. I forget that we're not surrounded by friends or family. I forget that she didn't have time to pick the perfect dress. I forget that there aren't lavish decorations or flowers surrounding us. Because at the end of the day, none of that matters.

 _My wife_. Anastasia Rose Grey. Mr. and Mrs. Christian Grey.

* * *

 **The Boston Herald**

Hello, Boston. We've got a young star on the rise – Christian Grey. He's the 19-year-old CEO of Grey Enterprises Holdings, already a multi-million dollar company. The recent Harvard dropout was recently spotted holding hands with his girlfriend, Anastasia Steele outside of the high-end jewelry store – Cartier.

Steele was sporting a very large diamond ring on her left hand, so it's safe to safe that the young couple is engaged. Sorry ladies. Any chance of snagging away the sexy CEO from Anastasia Steele is long gone.

The couple looked very loved up as they exited Cartier. Reports say that Grey did not let Miss Steele leave his side, and was always touching or kissing her. Oh, young love… If the ring on Steele's finger is indeed an engagement ring, we wish them the best of luck.

We certainly can't wait for the wedding.

* * *

 **The Seattle Nooz**

Alert! Alert! Alert!

Everyone's favorite hunk and brunette beauty are back and better than ever! That's right. You heard us! Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele are back!

The duo was photographed outside of Cartier, a luxury jewelry store. The two were seen leaving the store, laughing and kissing as Grey helped Steele get into their Range Rover in the light snowfall.

Oh, and did we forget to mention that Steele was sporting a very large diamond ring on her left hand?! Is that an engagement ring we see? We sure think so.

We've reached out to Grey's company, GEH for comment, but they haven't gotten back to us yet. But it sure as hell looks like Grey sealed the deal. That is one huge rock!

Wedding details to come… Until next time…

* * *

 **The Washington Post**

Christian Grey, the 19-year-old head of Grey Enterprises Holdings was seen yesterday outside a high end jewelry store with his girlfriend, Anastasia Steele.

But some are speculating that the two may now be engaged. Miss Steele was photographed wearing a one-of-a-kind Cartier diamond ring on her left hand.

A patron at the jewelry store said, "The two looked very much in love. Grey couldn't keep his hands off her, and she looked so radiant."

An employee of the store said, "Grey spent almost half a million dollars on her. I'm not sure what the details of his purchase were, but the head jeweler was very busy in the back fulfilling a special request for Mr. Grey. It had to have been something special."

We reached out to GEH, but they declined to comment on Mr. Grey's personal life.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Ahh, Christian. Please. I need you inside of me," I moan breathlessly.

"I am inside you," he smirks deviously, kissing the inside of my thigh.

"Not your fingers," I gasp, wriggling on the bed, "You, baby. I need you."

He leaves a trail of kisses from my hip to my neck, each one slow and deliberate.

"Please," I beg.

His lips hover over mine, teasing me.

"I love you, Mrs. Grey," he murmurs before plunging into me with one deep thrust.

"Ahhh!" I scream at the sudden intrusion.

"That's it, baby," he breathes, "Scream for me."

He takes one of my nipples into his mouth and takes the small nub in between his teeth.

"God!" I cry, "Yes!"

"It's not God, baby," he smirks, "Just me."

I'm to far gone to respond to his smart ass comment. Christian's thrusts are painstakingly slow, and I desperately need more.

"Harder, Christian," I plead as beads of sweat form on my skin.

"I want this to last," he whispers, "I want to make love to you."

He runs his lips along my neck, and I'm in heaven.

I can feel my orgasm building up despite Christian's slow thrusts. My body is on fire, my need for Christian growing by the second.

"Christian!" I cry, "I… I… I…"

I can't find the words. I'm completely overwhelmed. I've never been this aroused or sensitive during sex. His slow movements are sending waves of electricity through my body.

I feel a powerful orgasm coming on, and Christian whispers into my ear, "Let it go."

"Ohhhh," I scream as I reach my peak.

His thrusts don't relent. I'm on a perpetual high. My body is singing for him.

"I… I… love you," I cry.

I'm in a state of complete and utter bliss. Christian continues his delicious torture on my body. I cum. I cum, again and again. I've lost count of how many orgasms he's given me from his slow movements.

When I come down from my last high, I feel Christian spill himself into me, his body slumping on top of mine.

He must be exhausted from holding his weight over me.

Still inside me, he rolls us over so we're in a spooning position. I'm unable to form any coherent thoughts. My mind and body are mush.

My eyelids feel heavy and I find myself succumbing to sleep with my husband keeping me warm.

"I love you, Mrs. Grey," he whispers.

"Mmm. Love you too, Mr. Grey."

* * *

 _Christian's Phone_

 _16 missed calls and 14 unread messages from Mom, Jerry Grant, Mia Grey, Elliot Grey, Dad_

* * *

 _8:50 am_

 **Grace:** Christian, dear, I'm so happy for you and Ana. Please call your father.

* * *

 _9:01 am_

 **Jerry:** Shit C! You finally did it. Happy for the both of you.

* * *

 _9:03 am_

 **Mia:** Chrissy! So happy for you and Ana. Call me soon, I want to talk wedding!

* * *

 _9:07 am_

 **Ros:** You crazy kids! Ana must be insane to agree to marry you! Haha, only kidding boss man! Happy for you.

* * *

 _9:10 am_

 **Elliot:** Bro! So happy for you and Ana! Congrats! That's one hell of a ring.

* * *

 _9:22 am_

 **Carrick:** Congratulations to you and Ana.

* * *

 _11:45 am_

 **Grace:** Christian, I don't know why you aren't picking up the phone, but your father urgently wants to talk to you. Please speak to him. I hate the tension between you two.

* * *

 _6:28 pm_

 **Jerry:** Those pics outside of Cartier! You and Ana are getting married, aren't you? Don't think you and Ana can hide under those coats. I saw Ana's white dress, and I'm sure you went to Cartier to get wedding bands. Can't believe you're about to tie the knot. But congrats, dude!

* * *

 _6:34 pm_

 **Elliot:** Pics of you and Ana are everywhere. Some idiots from school even asked me if my little bro is engaged. Damn, C, you can't even deny the engagement. It's so obvious from the photos with that huge rock on Ana's finger.

* * *

 _6:38 pm_

 **Ros:** Hate to break it to you boss, but you and Ana won't be getting privacy anytime soon. The media is going crazy over the news of your engagement. Also, GEH is getting non-stop calls from media outlets, hoping to get a comment from us. I've been trying to fend them off, but the vultures won't stop harassing us. We're going to have to release a statement soon.

* * *

 _6:49 pm_

 **Grace:** Dear, the rumors of your engagement is all over the news in Seattle. There are pictures of you and Ana outside Cartier, and people are speculating. I just wanted to let you know honey. Some news outlets have been trying to get in contact with me to confirm the rumors. I haven't responded to any of them. Please call your mother. And don't forget your father.

* * *

 _6:57 pm_

 **Mia:** Christian! Answer my messages! You and Ana got papped outside Cartier. Everyone is talking about your engagement. It's all over the news. Oh and btw great job on the ring!

* * *

 _7:16 pm_

 **Carrick:** Call me. We need to talk.

* * *

 _8:01 pm_

 **Ros:** PR is going crazy over the news, Christian. We're going to have to release a statement by tomorrow morning. It can be brief, but we really need to confirm these rumors. The PR people have more important things to work on than address rumors about their CEO. I'll have someone draft a statement for your approval tomorrow morning. That is if you even show up to work!

* * *

 _Ana's Phone_

 _25 missed calls and 30 unread messages from Grace Grey, Jerry Grant, Kate Kavanaugh, Mia Grey, Elliot Grey, Aunt Liv, Dad, Carrick Grey, Uncle Fitz_

 _Karen Grant, Dad, Mia Grey, Elliot Grey, Carrick Grey_

* * *

 _8:52 am_

 **Grace:** Congratulations, Ana! Carrick and I are so happy that you're in Christian's life and have agreed to be his wife. Welcome to the family. Xx

* * *

 _9:00 am_

 **Jerry:** Can't believe you're engaged, banana! So happy for you! Congrats, baby sis!

* * *

 _9:02 am_

 **Kate:** Ana Banana! You leave me a couple months and then get engaged! Ahhhhhhh!

* * *

 _9:03 am_

 **Mia:** Ahhh! I have a sister! Ana! Call me back! I'm so happy for you. And I can't wait to plan the wedding!

* * *

 _9:04 am_

 **Kate:** I can't wait to be a bridesmaid!

* * *

 _9:05 am_

 **Kate:** OMG! Also wedding planning! We have to talk soon Steele! Tell that mogul of a fiance that we have to go wedding dress shopping in Paris. Oh, we need to get you a custom dress!

* * *

 _9:06 am_

 **Kate:** Also, that rock girl! Christian did well.

* * *

 _9:08 am_

 **Kate:** Oh! I almost forgot to tell you how happy I am for you guys! And you really need to pick up your phone, Steele. We need some bff time. I feel like we haven't talked in forever! I miss you.

* * *

 _9:09 am_

 **Ros:** Happy for you Ana! Tell your fiance that he needs to get his head out of his ass now that you said yes. You should've seen him at work the last few weeks. It was hilarious. He was a ball of nerves pacing around his office all day and losing focus. Glad you said yes!

* * *

 _9:10 am_

 **Karen:** Ana! This is so wonderful. I'm so happy for you! You and Christian are the perfect couple.

* * *

 _9:12 am_

 **Elliot:** Thanks for making my little bro so happy. Congrats, new baby sis!

* * *

 _9:13 am_

 **Karen:** Pick up your phone girl! We need to start planning the wedding soon. Mom wants to help plan too!

* * *

 _9:14 am_

 **Karen:** Oh! Idea! You could have the wedding at the White House in the Rose Garden. I'm sure daddy would be happy to host.

* * *

 _9:15 am_

 **Karen:** Kate just texted me. She wants to do wedding dress shopping in Paris. We could go during spring break. Daddy said we can use the jet whenever.

* * *

 _9:17 am_

 **Karen:** I just talked to mom! She said she could call Vera Wang to design your wedding dress. And she might also do all the bridesmaids dresses, too! Call me back! This is too exciting to wait any longer. And I love the ring! Send me a better picture! Ahhh! This is so exciting!

* * *

 _9:30 am_

 **Olivia:** Karen just told me the good news! Fitz and I are so happy for you, Ana. Fitz wanted to call you, but you know how busy he is. I'm sure he'll be in touch soon. I hope Karen isn't bombarding you with messages. She's really looking forward to helping you plan the wedding as am I. I have Vera Wang on speed dial if you need her. I love you, dear! XOXO Aunt Liv

* * *

 _11:47 am_

 **Grace:** Ana, dear, Christian isn't responding to his texts or answering his phone. Will you please remind him to call his father?

* * *

 _12:00 pm_

 **Fitz:** Sweet Ana! I hear congratulations are in order. Everyone at the White House is so happy for you. Karen cannot stop talking about a White House wedding. I'd be delighted to host the happy couple. Christian is a lucky man, and I think you found a good one in him. You three Harvard students need to come visit me for a weekend. I'm sure I can clear my schedule for you guys. Everyone in the administration sends you their best wishes. Call me when you can. - Uncle Fitz

* * *

 _6:26 pm_

 **Jerry:** Can't believe you two crazy kids are getting married. Don't even try to deny it. I saw the pics of you two outside Cartier. But don't worry, my lips are sealed. I know Christian's family and my family will go crazy if they know they weren't part of the wedding. Now I know why you two haven't responded to any texts all day. You've been too busy becoming Mrs. Grey. Love you banana! Can't wait to see Mr. and Mrs. Grey tomorrow. Haha!

* * *

 _6:34 pm_

 **Dad:** Annie, I saw photos of you and Christian on the national news this afternoon. Your mother contacted me. I'm assuming she saw the same photos today too. She said she wants to talk to you, but I told her I'd let her know if you wish to speak to her. I know she's your mother, but she sounded like she wants something from you. You're an adult now, so I'll let you make your own decision regarding contact with your mother. I don't want to put a damper on your day of celebration, so there's no rush in making a decision. I love you, Annie.

* * *

 _6:35 pm_

 **Kate:** Steele! You look stunning. You and Christian look like Hollywood's newest A-list couple. Perfection! Did the mogul spend obscene amounts of money on you? Haha. You must be super busy today, but you need to call your best friend back. Karen, Mia, and I have already started wedding planning for you.

* * *

 _6:40 pm_

 **Ros:** Damn, girl! You and boss man are quite the popular couple. GEH is getting a ton of calls just to confirm the engagement rumors fueled by the photos of you with that massive ring. I know you two must be busy, but tell Christian to text me back. I have a CEO who's M.I.A.

* * *

 _6:51 pm_

 **Grace:** Hi dear. You and Christian obviously aren't answering your phones today, but I wasn't sure if you turned on the news recently or even had the chance to go online. But your engagement rumors are everywhere. I just wanted to give you guys the heads up just in case you notice more paparazzi than normal tomorrow. Oh, and please tell Christian to call his father.

* * *

 _6:58 pm_

 **Mia:** I'm sure by now you already know about the photos. I guess any chances of keeping this engagement private has gone out the window. Anyways, I was talking to Karen about the wedding, and she thinks the White House's rose garden will be the perfect place. Plus, I'll get to hang out with the snack that is Jerry Grant again. Haha. I think that would be lovely, but it's really your choice in the end. I'm just here to help!

* * *

 _7:20 pm_

 **Carrick:** Hi Ana. I know I upset my son, but I really do want to talk to him. So if you could convince him to call me back, I would be so grateful. Congratulations on the engagement. I'm so thankful that Christian has someone like you in his life.


	20. Let the Games Begin

**Chapter 17 - Let the Games Begin**

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Good morning, wife," I grin.

I still can't believe this beautiful, amazing, intelligent woman has agreed to be mine forever.

"Good morning, husband," she smiles brightly.

The Monday morning blues hit me like a ton of bricks. Ana and I have to leave our bubble and face the real world. Ana has to go to class and I have to get to work.

"I don't want to leave this bed," I groan, pulling her on top of me.

"Me neither," she pouts, "But we have things to do."

Her delectable bare body is rubbing against me, and she leans in for a kiss, her lips hovering over mine. All of a sudden she leaves me hanging, rushing off to the bathroom.

She giggles, "Join me in the shower, Mr. Grey!" _Little minx._

* * *

While Ana gets dressed, I turn on my phone to see if I missed anything this weekend. And what I see is astonishing.

I have a crazy amount of messages – some are congratulations on the engagement while some are alerting me that Ana and I were papped yesterday. _Shit!_

I immediately pull up the various articles on my phone, and all the media outlets are speculating about our engagement. Fuck, and Ros wants to release a formal GEH statement today. Great, now my personal life is getting involved in my business. Definitely not what I want.

At least none of the media outlets know we got married, so that secret is still safe.

As I scroll through the rest of my messages, I see one from my father along with texts from my mother telling me to call him back.

I really should get over myself and call him, but I don't want him to sour my extremely good mood.

Ana walks out of her closet wearing a fairly conservative blazer and skirt, somehow still looking like a sexy goddess.

"Jerry's coming back, tonight," she reminds me, "And did you check your texts? He knows we got married."

"Yeah, I saw that. He's perceptive."

She giggles and replies, "He said he'll keep it on the down low."

"Good," I smile.

* * *

"Good morning, Mr. Grey," my third personal assistant in a month chirps when I walk into the office, handing me a cup of coffee. She's wearing way too much makeup and a blouse that is borderline unprofessional.

It's so hard to find a fucking assistant who doesn't bat their eyes at me and flash their tits out any chance they can get. How fucking hard can it be to find a woman who isn't interested in fucking me? Because news flash ladies, there's only one girl I want to fuck, and that's my wife.

"Olivia," I grumble. I give it a week before she pisses me off and is out of a job.

"Hey, boss," Ros startles me when she bursts into my office, "You're late."

"Late night, you know," I say while reviewing some contracts.

"I'm sure." she smirks, "But really congratulations," she gushes, "I'm happy for you."

"Thanks, Ros," I smile.

"Did you see the statement I emailed you. I had PR draft it for your approval."

I roll my eyes and reply, "Do we really need to comment on this? I think we should just say nothing, let the gossip die down."

"It's necessary," she insists, "If we choose not to comment, it will have the opposite effect. The media will start to speculate even more and try to get information from anyone close to you. I think this is your best option. Plus, we've been getting way too many calls to this office, and it's distracting us from actual work."

"Fine," I say begrudgingly, "I'll send you edits if necessary, then you can release it as soon as possible."

"Perfect," she says, shutting my office door.

I log into my computer and see the email in my inbox.

* * *

 **From:** Ros Bailey

 **Subject:** Engagement PR Statement

 **Date:** January 17, 2011: 07:43

 **To:** Christian Grey

Christian,

Here's our official statement.

 _Official Statement from Grey Enterprises Holdings_

Christian Grey is pleased to announce his engagement to Anastasia Steele. The couple is grateful for all your kind wishes and congratulations but kindly requests that you respect their privacy during this time.

Further questions or comments should be directed to our Communications Director, Sam Harris.

Ros Bailey

COO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

* * *

To my liking, the statement is very brief and doesn't give the media too much information. I should let Ana know first to make sure it's okay that I publicly confirm the engagement rumors.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

After my first class, I decide to walk to a coffee shop just off campus to get my caffeine fix. With a piping hot nonfat chai latte in hand, I exit the small shop and am completely caught off guard.

"Anastasia!" dozens of men with cameras scream in my face.

Shit! Shit! Shit! This is not good.

I try to walk away from them as fast as I can, but they are relentless in following me.

Camera flashes are going off in every direction, and I feel completely overwhelmed.

The shouting continues.

"Anastasia, are you engaged?"

"Are you pregnant?"

"Are you sleeping with the president's son?" _What the hell? Where did that come from?_

How the hell do I get these creepy men away from me?

"Show us the ring!" one guy yells.

"Please get away from me," I plead, shielding my eyes from the flashes.

"Hey, hey, hey," I hear a booming voice shout. "Get the hell away from her. Ever heard of manners?"

I look up to see a familiar face, shooing the paparazzi away from me.

"Thank you so much, Brody. I had no idea what to do."

"Hey, no worries. You looked pretty terrified. Are you okay?"

"A little shaken up. They've never gotten close to me like that. Usually, they have the decency to keep their distance. Today was definitely a shock."

"So the rumors are true?" he asks.

I flash him my ring and smile, "Yep."

"Wow, Ana. That's one hell of a ring. Congrats."

"Thank you, it came as quite the surprise."

Brody's a genuinely nice guy. I still don't know why Christian got his panties all in a twist about him. Sure he's good looking, but he's got nothing on my husband.

I check my watch and realize I have to get to class.

"Oh! I have to get to class. I guess I'll see you in English Lit later today. Thanks again for your help."

I give him a quick hug before darting off to my next class.

* * *

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** FW: Engagement PR Statement

 **Date:** January 17, 2011: 08:46

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Hey baby,

Unfortunately, Ros wants to put out a statement confirming our engagement. I forwarded it to you for your approval, but if you don't want anything confirmed, we don't have to say anything. I'm still the boss around here.

I hope you're having a good day at school. I love you.

Christian Grey

Lovestruck CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

* * *

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** Re: FW: Engagement PR Statement

 **Date:** January 17, 2011: 08:51

 **To:** Christian Grey

Hi husband,

It's completely fine with me, but I think we both know who the boss around here is. ;)

My day got off to a terrible start. I got accosted by paparazzi outside of a coffee shop. They completely ruined my good mood, but things are looking up.

Ana Grey

Your loving wife xx

* * *

I get a call from Christian a minute after I send my last email.

"Are you okay?" he asks frantically.

"Calm down, baby. I'm okay."

"They didn't touch you, did they?"

"No. But they did get awfully close."

"I'm leaving work. I'm coming to pick you up, and we can spend the rest of the day together."

"Christian," I giggle, "It's still morning. We've only been away from each other for two hours. I need to go to my classes. And you need to work."

I hear him sigh, and I know he's stressing out over this. I can just imagine him pulling at his already unruly hair.

"You're sure you're okay, though?" he asks concerned.

"Absolutely."

"I'll pick you up after your last class," he states.

"I'm looking forward to it, Mr. Grey."

"As am I, Mrs. Grey."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I have half a brain to hire a personal bodyguard for Ana. I never want anything like that to happen to her ever again.

And I know Ana. She's definitely downplaying the rudeness and invasiveness of the paparazzi. But I know if hire a personal bodyguard without her consent, there will be hell to pay. We'll have to talk about this tonight.

Fuck and I also never thought about this. Ana's the perfect victim for any kidnapper. She's small, fragile, and light. She's every criminal's dream. And God knows I'd pay any amount of money to get her back. Plus, with us being so prominent, it's like we're sitting ducks to any creeps or weirdos.

I feel a wave a fear wash over me, knowing Ana's alone on the streets with no one to protect her. She's no doubt going to fight me on this issue, but it's for her safety. She has to understand.

* * *

"Ray," I say, greeting him through the phone.

"Christian, two days in a row. It must be my lucky week. Are you calling me about wedding details?"

"I'm afraid this call isn't so social," I inform him, "Ana just informed me she was accosted by the paparazzi this morning. And I'm really worried about her being on her own. With the level of media attention we're getting, Ana could be a potential target for any criminal looking to make quick money."

"I'm well aware of the threat. That's why I have someone covertly watching her."

"You what?"

"Yeah, of course. I've had a guy on her ever since you two started college. He's CIA. You might know him. Mr. Brody Worth. He's the one who diffused the situation with the paparazzi today."

 _Brody? That blonde fucker I've been jealous of has been assigned to watch Ana?_

"With all due respect, I'd rather someone was close to her at all times. If there was a sudden threat, the covert operative wouldn't be able to get to her in time. If someone was with her, that whole situation today could have been avoided."

"I'd prefer if she had a permanent CPO, but my daughter would definitely not agree to that. But if you can get her to agree, I'm on board."

"That's actually what I called you about. I'm looking for a security advisor. Do you have any references?"

"Of course, son. I'll have my assistant forward you some names. All ex-military. They all come highly recommended."

"Thanks, Ray."

"Thanks for looking out for my baby girl, Christian."

* * *

 **The Seattle Nooz**

It's confirmed!

Christian Grey just publicly announced his engagement to the lovely Anastasia Steele, and we have the inside scoop on the engagement ring.

An employee from Cartier confirmed that the ring Grey bought was an original one-of-a-kind design, totaling ten carats of diamonds. The ring had a hefty price tag of $1 million.

And do you remember the photos of them outside Cartier yesterday because we sure do! The same employee said Grey purchased wedding bands and a diamond necklace for his soon-to-be bride.

So is it safe to say they're looking to get married as soon as possible? Why else would they buy the wedding bands so far in advance?

We're on official Grey watch. Until next time...

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

The list of references Ray provided me with was very helpful. They were all ex-military and highly trained operatives, so I couldn't go wrong with any of them.

I ended up choosing Fred Welch due to the fact that he owns a private security company, so he should have insight into hiring a bodyguard for Ana. I'm going to have to discuss the matter with Ana before I call him, though.

I'm now reviewing the final contracts for a deal with a small shipping company in Boston. The documents just require my signature, so it looks it'll be another $20 million in profit for GEH.'

Shit, we're growing really fast. I think GEH is on pace to expand into a whole building in a few weeks, as this small floor of office space isn't going to cut it for much longer.

My phone's ringing pulls me out of my thoughts, and I get exciting thinking it's Ana.

But… it's not. It's my father calling me.

 _Fuck, I should just get this over with._ It's not like I can ignore my dad for much longer before Grace starts badgering me about it.

"Hello," I say sternly.

"Christian. You finally answered my call."

"Yes, well… I've been busy."

"I know you have. And before I forget, I want to congratulate you on the engagement."

Not what I was expected to hear from Carrick, but I'll take it.

"Thank you, dad. Is that all?"

"No…" he pauses, "I'm sorry, son. For my temper when you told me you dropped out of Harvard. But from my perspective, my son was dropping out of the most prestigious university in the world. It was hard for me to wrap my head around. But you're obviously very successful already, so I was wrong. And what I said about, Ana. I'm truly sorry, son."

I'm stunned that my dad was man enough to admit he was wrong. This means a lot.

"Thanks, dad. That really means a lot to me. And I do understand why you were upset. But I guess it all turned out for the best."

"It sure did, Christian. Now I'm hoping you and Ana will come back for spring break. Your mother misses you dearly."

"We'll be there."

"Good. Oh, and I'd be more than happy to give you legal counsel regarding your marriage."

That would be perfect. I'll have to put Ana's name on everything related to GEH so that she'll have ownership of the company as well. And we'll probably have to deal with getting a joint bank account too. And I'm definitely going to have to set up a will. Carrick can handle all of that.

"And I'm sure Ana would like to have her own representation as well. I can give you a few names to give her."

 _What?!_ "Why would Ana need her own representation?"

"Well, it's common in these situations. We don't want her to feel like she's being taken advantage of."

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"The prenuptial agreements," he states casually.

"Have you lost your mind?" I shout angrily.

"Christian, it's standard procedure for a man in your position."

"You do know Ana has her own money. She would never take mine if we got a divorce. But that point is moot because we're not ever getting divorced!"

"Christian, that's what everyone thinks. But look at the statistics. 50% of marriages fail, with both parties entering with good intentions. And I'm aware Ana's wealthy in her own right, but you're on another level, son. I read that Wall Street Journal article about GEH. Your company's growth rate is through the charts. You're projected to be a billionaire at the end of the year."

"And your point?"

"If you two split, she could take it all. Half of everything you've worked so hard for. Half of GEH."

"No!" I shout, "No fucking prenup! Ana helped me build GEH from the ground up. The company is as much mine as it is hers. And let me stress that Ana and I are never going to get a divorce. So why are we even having this conversation in the first place?"

"Christian, I strongly advise…"

I cut him off, "I don't give a shit what you advise. You've crossed the fucking line. Don't you dare ever speak to me about this again."

"Christian, she's young. You're both young. I'm only looking out for your best interests."

"And I'm looking out for mine. I'm not going into this marriage with Ana counting what's mine and what's hers. Everything is ours. And if she ever left me she could have it all."

"Christian…" he stresses.

"You know, I thought this was shaping up to be a pleasant call, but I was wrong. Goodbye."

Fuck! Why does Carrick always have to put his damn foot in his mouth? Fuck him. Plus, Ana and I are already fucking married so he can go shove that prenup up his fucking ass for all I care.

My phone rings again, and I harshly answer, "What?!" thinking Carrick is calling me back.

"Jeez, someone's not in a good mood for just having gotten married. Is the honeymoon phase over so soon?" Jerry teases me.

"Sorry, Jerry. I thought you were someone else."

"No worries, dude. Do you want to grab lunch?"

"Ana told me you weren't coming back until tonight."

"Change of plans."

"Aren't you skipping class?"

"I'm sure I can get the notes from Ana. So lunch? 12:30 at Menton? I'm in the mood for French."

"Don't you mean in the mood for ridiculously overpriced French food?"

"Exactly. Your treat. I'll see you there."

* * *

When I get to the restaurant, Jerry is already waiting for me at a table, along with one of his bodyguards watching him at an adjacent table. I'll have to ask him his opinion on a CPO for Ana.

"Christian!" Jerry greets.

"Hey, Jer!"

"I can't believe you're married, dude! Congrats," he shouts.

"Bro, quiet down," I say looking at the patrons around us. They're mostly older businessmen at this restaurant, but still. You never know who would be looking to make a quick buck selling information to these gossip websites.

"Shit, sorry man. I'm really happy for you and Ana. Wait is that a necklace?" he asks eyeing me.

"Yeah," I say pulling it out. I show him my ring and reply, "Ana and I are wearing are rings on these. No one can see them. Which, by the way, you're the only who knows. And we'd like to keep it that way."

"No worries, C. I can keep my mouth shut. Don't worry. Anyways, tell me the story."

"Did you suddenly turn into a girl over the weekend?"

"Haha, funny Grey, but no. I still happen to have a dick. And I want to know how you go from scared of popping the question to married within a matter of days."

"The proposal was a complete surprise. I actually did it twice."

"Twice?"

"The first time I proposed, I blurted it out. And I didn't have a ring."

"She said yes?" he asks, "Or did she shoot you down because it wasn't romantic enough?"

"No, she said yes of course, but then the next day I set up a proper proposal. Dinner, flowers, lights… You know, the works. And I had a ring this time."

"Good man. And the impromptu wedding… Who's idea was that?"

"Both of ours. We didn't want to wait."

"Awww, well look at that. Christian Grey getting all sentimental. You're still going to have the big wedding for the family, right?"

"Of course. Have you met Ana? There's no way she'd forgo her fantasy wedding," I laugh.

"So that means I'll have time to plan the most epic bachelor party then," he says smirking.

* * *

"Hey, I need your opinion on something," I state after the waitress brings us our meal. Black cod for me and seared scallops for Jerry.

"Shoot."

"I was thinking of hiring a CPO for Ana."

He looks at me like I'm crazy. "She's not going to like that."

"I know, but she got harassed by paparazzi this morning, and I'm worried. And she's a prime target for kidnapping."

"You know her dad's got someone following her."

"Yeah, I know. Ray just told me today. I can't say I'm surprised."

"So then why the need for extra security?"

"To prevent photographers from getting in her personal space. And she could be picked up quickly in a grab and go situation. I don't think the undercover guy will be much help then."

"You do have a point."

"That's why I need your advice. You have a goon following you everywhere you go."

I motion to the guy in a suit watching us intently from the next table over.

"I didn't have a choice. It comes with the territory of my dad's job."

"I was hoping you could talk to Ana. Maybe convince her that it's not as bad as it seems."

"I mean, after a while you kind of forget that he's there. It did take some adjustment, though. But I got pretty lucky. I get along well with my detail. I can ask my dad if he knows anyone in the personal security business."

"That's okay. Ray already gave me some names. I need to get Ana on board first."

He scoffs. "Good luck with that one, bro."

"It's for her safety, she'll understand," I try to convince myself.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I've gotten used to being at school without Christian, but being here without Jerry has got me feeling really lonely.

I realize I've only made one friend here, Ros, who has now changed her schedule to night classes to accommodate her job at GEH. I give it a month before she realizes school is a waste of her efforts and time.

Then it'll just be Jerry and me going to school. At least I know he won't drop out. Uncle Fitz would never allow it.

So I guess it'll be just me for lunch. Great. I'm definitely going to stay on campus for lunch to avoid the paparazzi. I cannot deal with them again today.

Oh, and I forgot to text my dad back about my mom. Why the hell is she calling him? And why the hell is she trying to contact me? She may be my mother by blood, but she's not my mom. She hasn't paid much attention to me for the past ten years of my life, so I don't see why she wants to reconnect now. I'll need to tell him that I want absolutely nothing to do with her.

Ugh, this is turning into the day from hell. I knew I shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning. Christian and I could've celebrated our marriage for another day.

I sit down at one of the dining halls to grab a salad when I get a call from Kate. Thank God! I'm not alone!

"Hey, Kate!" I say very excitedly.

"You're in a good mood, today."

"I'm eating lunch by myself. I was desperate for human interaction," I laugh.

"Well, I guess I read your mind. Anyways, we have to talk wedding Steele!"

"Oh my God! I know!" I gush, "There's so much to plan."

"Wait! Tell me how he proposed first!"

"Oh, Kate! It was so romantic. We just moved into the new townhouse, so we don't really have any furniture inside let alone furniture outside. Anyways, he made a table out of cardboard boxes on the balcony. And he decorated with lights and an explosion of roses. It was gorgeous. He ordered dinner from my favorite restaurant, and it was perfect. Every girl's dream come true."

"Ugh, I'm so jealous, Steele."

"I would be too," I giggle, "And this ring is to die for."

"I bet! I need to come visit you, so I can see that rock in person."

"You really should Kate. I miss you… Enough about me. How's Brown treating you?"

"Ana… the guys here. Off the charts hot."

"I'm glad to hear," I say sarcastically, "How are your classes?"

"You're funny Steele."

"Yeah," I laugh, "I should've known better than to ask you a question like that."

"Don't worry, banana. I'll get serious later."

"I hope so. Maybe if you come visit me some of my study habits will rub off on you."

"Doubt it. Oh, but there is a three day weekend coming up next. Maybe I could take the train to Boston."

"I'm sure my dad could get a driver for you."

"Really? That would be amazing. We could start planning the wedding then. Maybe Karen could come as well?"

"I'll ask her. But we definitely have to include Mia, and I'm not sure if she has the long weekend."

"Oh right… Christian's little sister. What grade is she in now?"

"She's a junior. And I'd feel guilty if she wasn't able to come. I'll ask her too. If not, maybe we could put off the planning until she can make it."

"Yeah, whatever you want, Steele. I'm still coming next weekend, though. I miss you. Do you have a date in mind yet?"

"We were thinking July." I don't want to wait long to make Christian my husband in front of all our friends and family. Well, I can't wait to make him my husband again… This time much more official.

"Perfect!" she squeals, "That should give us about 18 months to plan."

"Ummm, I meant July. As in July of this year. Not next year."

She gasps and replies, "Are you insane, Steele! That's six months away."

"I know."

"You're going to need to start planning now. Forget about next week! I'm coming immediately. I'm taking the next train to Boston!"

"Kate!" I admonish, "Don't you have school?!"

"Oh, please. Planning you a perfect wedding is much more important than school. You're not changing my mind on this."

I sigh in defeat.

Kate continues, "Oh, and I forgot to ask. Why didn't you and Christian come home for Christmas? I was expecting you."

"We kind of changed our plans last minute. Christian and his father are having a bit of a disagreement at the moment."

 _Shti! That reminds me._ I have to tell Christian to call back his father. Grace is really worried about her two boys not getting along.

"That's too bad."

"Yeah, but we're definitely going back home for spring break."

"Good."

"Hey, I have to get to class," I say checking my watch and realized I only took a bite of my salad. "You should try going sometime," I tease, "Maybe you could put that brain to some good use."

"Haha, Steele. Funny. I'll see you soon. I'll text you my train info! Love you girl!"

I should probably tell Christian we're going to have a full house tonight. We'll have to be much quieter than usual.

I have class in five minutes, which means I have no time to finish my lunch. I'll have to bring this salad to class with me. I don't know the professor's policy on eating in class, but I'm starving.

* * *

 _ **NBC News - Seattle**_

 _Good afternoon, Seattle. This is Kimberly Mitchell reporting live from our studio. And We've got a jam-packed afternoon of news for you today._

 _First, we have news about Seattle native, Christian Grey. He's a college dropout, and now the head of Grey Enterprises Holdings, a multi-million dollar corporation._

 _This morning, Grey Enterprises Holdings released a statement confirming that Christian Grey has proposed to his longtime girlfriend, Anastasia Steele._

 _It seems like just yesterday when I was reporting to you live outside of the couple's high school in downtown Seattle._

 _As per the statement, the couple thanks everyone for their good wishes, but are requesting privacy for the time being._

 _It's to be noted that Miss Steele was hounded by the paparazzi this morning at a coffee shop on the way to school._

 _The wedding will certainly be society's event of the year. We're still waiting on the guest list, but many suspect that with Miss Steele's close relationship to the President of the United States, the wedding will likely be a star-studded affair along with the who's who of Washington D.C._

 _Moreover, the details of Steele's engagement ring were confirmed. Here are photos of the couple taken yesterday afternoon with Miss Steele donning a very large diamond ring._

 _An employee from Cartier confirmed that the ring Grey bought for her was a completely custom and one-of-a-kind design. The ring totals ten carats of flawless diamonds set in platinum. The total cost – $1 million._

 _Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele are both only nineteen years old. But at such a young age, Christian Grey has excelled in the business sphere._

 _The Wall Street Journal projects that Grey Enterprises Holdings is on pace to become a billion-dollar corporation by the end of the year._

 _If they're correct in their analysis, Grey would become the youngest self-made billionaire in the world at twenty years of age. Quite the feat…_

 _Once again, this is Kimberly Mitchell reporting live. Now for the weather…_

* * *

 **Christian's** **POV**

I'm wasting away time in my office, keeping my eyes on the clock. There's no work getting done today. I'm too preoccupied worrying about Ana without any protection.

It's only 2:00 pm and I've already checked out. Oh well, a day of doing nothing never hurt anyone. And it's only an hour and a half until I get to pick up Ana at school.

After lunch, instead of going to class, Jerry went to our house to take a nap. Lazy fuck.

I get excited when I see an email from Ana pop up in my inbox.

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** Visitors…

 **Date:** January 17, 2011: 14:05

 **To:** Christian Grey

Christian,

We may have a surprise guest, so you'll have to behave yourself tonight.

Your wife,

Ana Grey

* * *

Are you fucking kidding me? Jerry's gotten used to the noise we make already, but I really wanted to fuck my wife hard tonight. Plus, we need to talk about security! This is not the time for unsolicited guests!

* * *

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Re: Visitors…

 **Date:** January 17, 2011: 14:07

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Mrs. Grey,

May I ask who this visitor is?

Christian Grey

Not a Hotel Manager, CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

* * *

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** Old friends

 **Date:** January 17, 2011: 14:10

 **To:** Christian Grey

It's Kate. She wants to start wedding planning ASAP.

So no funny business tonight.

Ana xx

* * *

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Better ideas

 **Date:** January 17, 2011: 14:14

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

There are many hotels in Boston that I'm sure Miss Kavanagh would find to her liking. Then we'd be free to make as much noise as we please tonight.

I can buy some rope and vanilla ice cream on the way home.

Think of the possibilities...

Christian Grey

Horny CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

* * *

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** A man can dream

 **Date:** January 17, 2011: 14:19

 **To:** Christian Grey

Dear Mr. Horny CEO,

My best friend will NOT be staying at a hotel.

And while I can only imagine the possibilities of what you could do to me with rope, Kate and I might be planning for the wedding all night.

But maybe… If you don't mind waiting up for me, we could play a little game… I think it might be sexy if I have to keep quiet. Perhaps you could punish me if I make noise, sir?

I'll see you soon.

Ana Grey

Your wet and wanton wife xx

* * *

Fuck! Now my pants are getting tight and uncomfortable. I have to adjust myself as I type my response.

* * *

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** I love your…

 **Date:** January 17, 2011: 14:22

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

...dirty mind.

I'll take you up on your wager, Mrs. Grey.

But I have to warn you, I'm not going hold back. I do have a twitchy palm right now. ;)

Christian Grey

Extremely Hard CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

* * *

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** Excited…

 **Date:** January 17, 2011: 14:29

 **To:** Christian Grey

…and wet too.

But I have to pay attention in class. Stop bothering me.

Oh, and I forgot to mention. We have to pick up Kate from the train station this evening. I know you're looking forward to it!

I love you,

Ana xx

* * *

"Olivia!" I scream out to my assistant.

"Yes, Mr. Grey," she comes stumbling into my office.

"I need you to run an errand for me," I command.

"Yes sir," she replies, "What can I get you?"

"Run to the hardware store and pick up five yards of rope." I'd ask her to get the vanilla ice cream for me, but it would melt before I'd get home.

"Can I ask what this is for?"

"Do I pay you to ask questions?" I bellow.

She starts to shake and nervously bites her lip. Serves her right. She should know better.

"Ummm," she mumbles, "No sir."

"Good. I need it within the hour," I state, dismissing her.

"Right away, sir," she says frantically leaving my office.

* * *

At 3:30 on the dot, I get ready to leave for the day. Normally, I try to leave work at around 6:00 every day so I can spend time with Ana. Then after I thoroughly fuck her, I'll work for another one or two hours before going to bed.

I've found that I can function well on very little sleep. And after all, a company does not build itself. But still, Ana's my first priority. So I usually work from my laptop, while she sleeps soundly right next to me.

But today, I dropped her off at school, so I have to pick her up after her last class. I don't want her roaming on the streets by herself where any creep or criminal can approach her. And sometimes it's good to take a break from work.

My dick is stirring, thinking about what I'm going to do to her tonight. I have the rope safely tucked in a paper bag in my trunk just waiting to be tied around Ana's porcelain skin tonight.

* * *

By 3:45, I'm stalling outside the gates of Harvard, waiting for Ana to come out after her last class.

I spot her immediately in the crowd of students, as she's impeccably dressed in her Balmain blazer and matching skirt. Always runway ready that one.

I get out to open the car door for her, and she rolls her eyes at me like she always does. It's kind of become our ritual.

"Hey, baby," I greet her with a kiss.

"Hi husband," she whispers. I fucking love when she calls me that. "Can we go to the grocery store first? We have no food at home. We can bring the groceries home then go pick up Kate. Her train is supposed to arrive at 5:45."

"Can you make mac & cheese tonight, baby?" I ask with a childlike grin. It's my favorite meal.

"Of course."

"Oh, Jerry's back already, so you'll probably need to make a ton of food."

"He told me he wasn't coming back until late tonight."

"I had lunch with him today."

"What the hell! He was having lunch with you while I was suffering at school? Oh, I'm so going to kick his ass when we get home."

I can't but laugh as I drive us to the grocery store. There's something so domestic about this, and I fucking love it.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"That doesn't go in mac & cheese," Christian says to me as I put kale in our shopping cart.

"You do know we have absolutely no food at home, right?" I giggle.

I pick up a vine of cherry tomatoes and place them in the cart.

"Ugh," he complains, "How long is this going to take?"

"Stop whining. It shouldn't be more than half an hour."

"You know," he whispers seductively into my ear, "If we get home quick enough, we might have time for a quick fuck."

I shudder as his lips brush against my ear. Ugh, why is he making me horny in public?!

I grab a head of lettuce, pick a leaf off, and throw it in Christian's face.

"What the hell?"

I giggle and reply, "Serves you right, Grey."

* * *

I don't know why I always end up at the grocery store with Christian. He's the most impatient man I know.

I'm getting all the ingredients for Christian's favorite mac & cheese recipe while Christian wonders off somewhere.

I'm in the pasta aisle, when Christian walks behind me with 5 pints of Ben & Jerry's vanilla ice cream.

I give him a skeptical look. "What are we going to do with that much ice cream?"

"Well for starters," he smirks, "I'm going to lick a whole pint off you tonight."

"Vanilla?" I question, looking at the label, "I'm surprised you didn't go for Karamel Sutra or Chunky Monkey."

"Hmm, both good options," he smirks mischievously, "But I think vanilla's my favorite. Don't get me wrong, though. My other preferences tend to lean towards the dark side."

"I'll keep that in mind Mr. Grey," I mumble as I bite down hard on my lip.

* * *

"Hey Mr. Mogul!" Kate says as she hops into the back of the Range Rover.

"Katherine, I wasn't aware Brown had the week off."

"They don't," she smiles.

I elbow Christian in the arm, reminding him to be nice.

"We're so glad you came," he says unconvincingly.

"I'm sure," she laughs, "So banana, I'm starving. What's for dinner?"

"Mac & cheese," I state.

"Ooh yum! And is that hottie Jerry home yet?"

Christian rolls his eyes while I giggle at her bluntness.

"Yes, he's home," I reply, "But please try not to sleep with someone I consider my brother." I'm only half-kidding. I don't think Kate would ever sleep with him. But, hey you never know. Kate has a history of sleeping with any man who has a pulse. Just being cautious.

"Like he would ever want to sleep with you…" Christian mumbles under his breath, earning another elbow from me.

* * *

When we get home, Jerry's on the couch watching Netflix, eating a bag of popcorn.

Thank God I bought some real food. These boys would starve or become obese without me.

"Geez, Steele. Nice place," Kate says looking at the vast ceilings and intricate paneling on the walls.

"Thanks, we still need to decorate, though. We only have the essentials so far."

"Oh my gosh!" she exclaims, "I could help you with that too. The new place and the wedding! You must be overwhelmed."

"Thanks, Kate. I really appreciate it. I've been busy with school. I haven't had time to do much else."

"No worries, Steele. And plus, think of how fun it'll be to spend the mogul's money."

A few moments later, Christian bursts through the door carrying Kate's four bags of Louis Vuitton luggage.

Jerry, Kate, and I all burst out laughing.

"You know I could use some help over here, Jerry. Get your ass off the couch."

"Nah, I think I'm good," Jerry chuckles.

"Christian, why don't you put the bags in the guest room on the second floor," I suggest.

"Fine," he replies schlepping the bags up the stairs.

* * *

I get started on dinner in the kitchen with Kate as my sous-chef. Well… more like my supervisor since she's only watching. I know better than to let her get anywhere near unprepared food.

Jerry comes stalking into the kitchen with his empty bag of popcorn.

"What's for dinner?" he asks, "I'm starving."

"I'm sure you are," I reply taking his empty bag of popcorn and throwing it in the trash.

"Ana's making Christian's favorite meal," Kate chimes in, "Look at her! She already looks like a wife!"

Jerry winks at me, already in on our little secret.

Kate grabs a bottle of wine from our wine fridge and pours herself a large glass.

"You want one?" she asks Jerry and me.

I decline because I want to be fully aware of the dirty things Christian's going to do to me tonight.

"I'll take a glass," Jerry says, also taking out a pint of Christian's vanilla ice cream from the freezer.

I snatch the ice cream out of his hand and chastise him. "Wait for dinner."

"Whatever you say, Mrs. Grey," he smirks, instead grabbing another bag of popcorn.

I glare at him, hoping Kate didn't notice his little joke. Thankfully, she's too busy pouring Jerry a glass of wine and filling hers again.

I put a large pot filled with water on the burner for the pasta and take out all the other necessary ingredients. I'm making Christian's special baked mac & cheese. It has five different kinds of cheeses (asiago, parmesan, sharp cheddar, fontina, and swiss), pancetta, and a panko breadcrumb topping. I get hungry just thinking about it.

While I wait for the water to boil, I take out another pan to cook the pancetta and also grate the cheese for the sauce.

Christian comes down the stairs having changed from his suit into grey Gucci joggers and a black Gucci t-shirt. He sits next to Jerry, so now they're all gathered at the island watching me cook.

I see Christian take a handful of Jerry's popcorn from the bag and I roll my eyes. "At least put it in a bowl," I suggest, taking out one of my most recent purchases – a large gold plated bowl from Hermes. I might not have had time to fully furnish the house, but I sure as hell had time to fully stock the kitchen with luxury items.

Like the good boy he is, Christian listens to me and pours the bag of popcorn into the bowl.

"Yes," Jerry comments dryly, "Because we all need to eat $3 popcorn in an Hermes bowl."

"Says the boy who ate grilled cheese off of priceless White House china," I scoff. "And you two need to stop eating junk. I'm making dinner."

"We're in college, banana. Aren't we supposed to be eating like shit? Top ramen and takeout pizza?"

"He's right, Steele," Kate says finishing off her second glass of wine. "We can't all have our own Ana to cook for us."

"Jeez, Katherine," Christian gasps, "Slow down a little."

"We're celebrating your engagement," she shrugs.

"Trust me, Ana and I celebrated last night. And we're planning on celebrating tonight and the night after that."

That comment earns him a bashful look from Kate, a laugh and pat on the back from Jerry, and a dirty look from me.

"Baby?" he asks, "Are you almost done with the food? We're starving."

Oh my, Mr. Grey. So impatient.

* * *

We all move to the informal sitting room to eat our dinner and as per Kate's request, we're watching Gossip Girl.

About halfway through our meal Kate interjects, "Oh my gosh! I brought wedding magazines. We have to look through them. Christian, where'd you put my stuff?"

"Second floor, first bedroom on the right," he replies, his faced glued to his phone screen probably going through work emails.

Kate squeals excitedly and runs upstairs and back in record time.

She lays all twenty of her magazines on the table and starts blabbering, "Since you already have a date in mind, we'll need to start with a location. And then we'll need to pick the color scheme. Then there's the flowers to think about. We'll have to choose the flowers in your bouquet and the floral arrangements for the tables if you choose to go that route, and the flowers that will decorate the pews and the aisles. Oh, and of course, the dress. And the cake. And the menu. We've got a lot to plan, Steele."

Jerry hears all this wedding talk and excuses himself to do homework. Pshh, homework my ass. He just wants to get out of the room.

Christian follows Jerry a few moments later. He places a soft kiss on my head and says, "I'll be in the study doing some work. You guys have fun."

"Now that the boys are gone, we can do some serious planning," Kate giggles in excitement.

Along with all her magazines she has what she's calling my 'wedding bible.'

"It's basically a book that will help you keep track of everything: the flowers, the venue, the guest list, the food… Everything," she explains. "What do you want to tackle first?"

"Maybe the venue?"

"Where were you thinking of having it. I'm sure Mr. Mogul could fly you anywhere you wanted. Maybe Santorini for a beach wedding? Or Paris? You can really never go wrong with Paris. Ooh, or Italy?"

"I was thinking more domestic," I reply. While a destination wedding sounds tempting, I think I'd rather get married somewhere sentimental or meaningful to Christian and me. "I know Fitz offered the White House Rose Garden as a venue, but we'd have to keep the guest list small if we did it there. Or maybe we could have it in Seattle. I know Christian's mother would be more than happy to host the wedding at their estate. The view of the Sound is breathtaking there. What do you think?"

"The White House! Are you kidding me?! You have to do it there!"

"Okay, okay. Settle down," I laugh, "I'll call Fitz in the morning to sort out the details. But let me ask Christian his opinion first."

"Okay," Kate nods, "I'll take that venue as a tentative yes. Why don't we go over things that Christian probably doesn't care about. What were you thinking for the color scheme because once we can nail that down, we'll know what to choose in terms of decorations."

"I like silver and pale pink," I state. That color scheme fits perfectly with Christian and me. Silver to represent Mr. Grey and pale pink to represent me, Anastasia Rose.

"That will work well in the summer," she comments, "And we can have the bridal party wearing those same colors. We can have the bridesmaids wear pale pink dresses and we can have the groomsmen wear silver ties."

I can't help but laugh as Kate is acting like she's the one who's getting married. Oh, you gotta love over-excited best friends.

* * *

Kate and I mull over wedding details for hours, combing through the excessive amount of bridal magazines she brought.

So far, I think we have the venue, the color scheme, the idea for the flowers I want to order, and my side of the guest list nailed down. Of course, I'll have to go over everything with Christian to make sure it's okay with him. It's his wedding too.

But after hours of wedding planning, I need a break. More specifically, a break with my husband… In bed.

After her fourth glass of wine, a very tipsy Kate says she's going to go to bed. Thank you, Jesus! Finally, some alone time.

My inner goddess is doing somersaults, imaging the pleasure Christian has in store for me tonight.

I run up to our bedroom to freshen up and change into a skimpy lingerie set.

I then grab my cell to text Christian.

 **Ana** : Your pleasure awaits you, _sir_

I rush to Christian's closet to take out the rope he bough and place it on the bed next to me.

A few moments later, I hear Christian's footsteps approaching. When he opens the door, I can already tell he's in his sexy, domineering CEO mode. He has a pint of vanilla ice cream in his hands with only one spoon.

He stalks over to me and whispers, "So you want to play?"

"Yes sir," I mewl, biting my lip.

"Mmm, good," he mumbles, planing a soft kiss on my lips. He looks into my eyes and says sweetly, "Can I try something new today, baby? If you don't like it just tell me to stop. I don't want to hurt you."

My ears perk up in excitement. Anything Christian suggests in bed gives me mind-blowing orgasms. I'm open to trying anything with him.

"What do you have in mind?"

"Bondage," he smirks, "But some heavier stuff."

"How heavy are we talking?" I ask, and I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous. Christian's tied me up many times before, but I have a feeling this is going to be a whole lot different.

"It's not going to hurt, baby. But I've been doing a little research into Japanese bondage. It's not just going to be securing your arms and legs to the posts. You won't be able to move any part of your body. You'll be at completely mercy to me."

"That sounds appealing," I smirk devilishly, feeling moisture pool between my legs.

"I'm glad you think so," Christian smiles. "Now, I think you'd look better if you weren't wearing any clothes," he comments switching back to his dom voice.

"I thought you'd enjoy taking it off me, sir."

"Mmm, you thought right, baby."

I'm taken by surprise when he rips my panties off in one swift movement.

I'm about to say something about him ripping my lingerie when he interrupts, "I'll buy you another one, don't worry."

"Anastasia," he says in a husky voice, "Can I blindfold you? All your other senses will be heightened."

I nod my head, unable to form words. Christian produces a monogrammed Louis Vuitton bandana from his pocket and carefully ties it around my eyes, completely hindering my vision.

He whispers into my ear, "My brave girl. You look so sexy like this."

I feel his hands cup my breasts and I gasp, "Christian…"

"Anastasia, don't you remember your little game? You have to be quiet. I don't want to hear a word from you unless I ask you a question. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," I gasp, wiggling my legs together to try to get some friction.

He then unclasps my bra and slips it off me. My nipples pebble due to the cold air around me and the highly aroused state I'm in.

"Dinner was delicious, Anastasia. But I think I'm going to enjoy my dessert much more."

I feel Christian take the rope off the bed beside me.

"Stand up. Turn around. And put your hands behind your back," he commands, and I obey all his orders.

He uses a short strand of rope and expertly ties a slip knot tightly around my wrists. The rope has no slack, so there's no chance of me moving my hands.

Christian's tied me up before with almost anything we could find. Silk scarves, ties, leather belts, and we've done rope a few times before. Unlike all the other mediums of bondage we've used, the rope is painful… But in a good way.

When I pull and tug on the rope, it burns a little. But I've learned that pain and pleasure are two sides of the same coin. It's kind of like a drug in a way. And if I really pull hard on the rope, It will leave red marks on my skin, reminding me of Christian's dirty games. The marks always fade away by the next day, but that doesn't stop Christian from showering me in bracelets just in case I'd need to cover a mark up.

But Christian's never tied up my whole body before. I've never been completely immobile and at mercy to him. I can't fucking wait. My juices are flowing uncontrollably thinking about it.

He guides me back to the bed, and somehow I can feel him staring at me.

"I think I'm going to have my dessert now," he declares.

I sense his face hovering next to mine and feel his lips brush against mine. He lightly presses his lips to mine, and I'm surprised by the cold sensation.

The next thing I know there's something cold and wet dripping down my chest. Christian's tongue glides along my skin, lapping up the coldness from my skin. It tastes sweet, like vanilla.

"Mmm, Ben & Jerry's and Ana. Delicious," he grunts. Of course this man would choose to eat his dessert off me.

He feeds me another spoonful with his mouth then drags the cold metal spoon covered in the creamy liquid across my breasts, deliberately circling around my hard nipples.

I can't help but moan as he once again uses his tongue to clean up his mess.

"You're sweeter than the ice cream, Ana. Why don't you open those pretty legs for me."

Like a good submissive, I obey his command. I think Christian's kneeling on the ground because I can feel his breath on my thighs.

He spoons some ice cream on my pubic bone, and I shudder at the cold liquid so close to my dripping pussy.

I have to bite my tongue to keep myself from begging him to relieve me.

Christian puts his hands on my knees to open up my legs wider, and I lean back on the bed, desperate with need.

I can feel the ice cream start to melt and drip down to my wet slit.

Like a man in a desert, he laps up the sweet cream like his life depends on it. I have to bite my lip to keep myself from screaming. My legs start to squirm, and Christian tightens his grip on my knees to keep my still.

Christian's mercilessly teasing me. Between the cold ice cream and his warm mouth, my body is in sensation overload. He continues to spoon and lick ice cream off me. But he knows exactly what he's doing. By the time his tongue has got me all worked up and I'm about to cum, he's done licking up all the ice cream and puts another spoonful in its place.

By the tenth time he repeats the cycle, I desperately need to cum. I can't take it anymore.

"Sir," I cry, "Please let me cum!"

He immediately removes his head from in between my legs.

"I thought I told you not to speak, Anastasia!" he scolds.

He then slaps me hard on my inner thigh. At first, all I feel is the stinging pain, but a few moments later, that pain turns to pleasure that spreads to my whole body.

"I'm sorry, sir," I apologize.

He slaps me hard again, this time on the other thigh, and I scream in pain and pleasure.

"No talking, Anastasia," he reminds me, "You'll get to cum when I want you to cum."

I nod my head in approval and Christian continues his ministrations. A spoonful of ice cream then his tongue on my clit bringing me to the edge again and again.

My emotions are all over the place, and I have to hold myself back from outright bursting into tears from his endless teasing.

Another dollop of ice cream lands on my slit, but this time, Christian doesn't move his tongue from my clit. He starts pumping two fingers inside of me, hitting my g-spot with every thrust.

"Cum for me, Ana."

When his teeth graze my clit, I fall over the edge, and it's pure heaven. I moan and scream and shake until my mind goes blank and I feel numb.

Christian lets go of my legs and gently massages them to make sure they're not sore after being stretched for so long.

He pulls me into a kiss and I can taste the ice cream and my juices off his lips.

As if I'm a feather, he picks me up bridal style.

"Are you okay, baby?" he asks sweetly, removing the blindfold from my eyes.

I nod, my brain still not fully functional after my last orgasm. He flashes me his signature grin and lays me back down on the bed.

"Turn around, Anastasia. Ass up," he orders.

It's a bit awkward flipping over with my hands tied behind my back, but I eventually make it and stick my ass, wanting him to fuck me already.

"Good girl," he muses, "I'm going to tie you up now, okay?"

I nod my head, and loops a single strand of rope around my upper chest and my arms, rendering upper body movement impossible.

"Bend your knees," he declares next.

I'm a bit confused as to what he's going to do, but I comply, bending my knees so that my feet are hovering over both of my butt cheeks.

With two strands of rope he ties my right leg together, so that my calf is pressing against the back of my thigh. He does the same with my left leg.

"Are you uncomfortable?" His voice shifting from a dominant to a loving husband.

"No, sir," I answer, feeling oddly sexy in this position.

"Good," he states, "Because I want to fuck you. _Hard._ "

"Please, sir," I beg, trying to wiggle my ass as him despite all the restriction from the rope.

"Hush, Anastasia," he demands, switching back to his dom voice, "Not another sound, or I'm going to spank you."

It's like he wants me to make noise on purpose. Oh sir, if you think that's a punishment… I'm going to milk that for all it's worth.

I feel Christian's hands on my ass as he lines himself up with my entrance. In one hard push, he sheaths himself all the way inside me.

"Oh, fuck!" he groans, pushing and and out of me.

I desperately want to grab the sheets or push back against him to create more friction, but I can't when I'm all tied up like this.

His grip on my hips seems to be getting tighter and tighter with each thrust, which reminds me that I want to try out his twitchy palm.

"Oh fuck me, Christian!" I cry out, knowing that's two infractions right there. One for making a noise and the other for calling him Christian.

And just like I anticipated, Christian leaves two successive swats on both of my ass cheeks.

"Anastasia!" he growls, "No talking. And that is not how you'll address me right now."

Ever since Christian and I started playing hard, we've agreed that I'm supposed to call him sir. If not, I'll be punished. But I happen to fucking love being punished by Christian.

"But sir," I cry, taunting him, "I can't help it. You feel so good. Your dick is so good inside me." I know he loves dirty talk. It gets him going, especially when he's in dom mode.

Another spank lands on my ass, this time harder than all the ones before. This one was meant to hurt, but the sting of his sharp swat makes me want more.

"Ohh, Christian!" I moan, wanting another spank, but I don't get one.

"I know what you're doing, Anastasia," he growls, "If you make one more sound, you're going to get a real punishment."

I have no idea what he means by that, but I don't want to take the chance of him denying me orgasms. That is not a pleasurable punishment.

He continues pistoning his dick in and out of me, and I feel the tip rub against my g-spot every single time. I have to try really hard to keep my noises at bay, but with Christian's forceful thrusts, it's proving to be a very difficult task.

I could be screaming like a banshee right now, but I keep biting on my lip harder to suppress the sound.

With each thrust, my need to cum grows exponentially. I want to beg, plead for my orgasm, but I would rather hold it that subject my ass to more spanks.

"You've been such a good girl for me tonight." Christian's voice is deep and husky.

I feel him move a finger to my tight rosebud, and my body responds in pleasure.

I desperately need to cum, and I'm not sure if I can hold it any longer.

Sensing my need, Christian growls, "You like this?" and continues to rim my asshole.

I nod my head frantically.

"Do you want to cum?"

Again, I nod my head.

"Cum, Anastasia," he commands, pushing his whole finger into my asshole.

My body welcomes the orgasm, and I can feel Christian hold onto my limp body before my world turns black…

… I wake up surrounded by warm water and strong arms. With my vision still a little hazy, I take in my surroundings slowly.

I'm in our bathtub with Christian positioned behind me. He's gently washing me with soap and massaging my sore limbs.

"Ana, baby," he coaxes.

"What happened?" I ask, curious as to why I can't remember how I got here.

"You blacked out," he explains.

 _Wow!_ I had heard stories about women blacking out after intense orgasms, but I'd never thought it was a real thing.

"How are you feeling?"

"That was so intense, Christian."

"I know, baby. I know."

"I'm tired," I reply, forcing my eyes to stay open. Christian wore me out.

"Bed soon," he assures me, "Let me wash your hair first."

While I love my sexy dominant Christian, I also love this side of him. The side of Christian who wants to take care of me. The man who loves me more than anything in the world. My husband and sometimes dominant. Master of my heart and my body.


	21. Planning

**Chapter 18 - Planning**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I open my eyes, and it's pitch black. I'm no longer in the bathtub with Christian. I'm wrapped tightly under the covers in a pair of Christian's sweatpants and one of his t-shirts.

I notice a light being emitted from beside me. I turn around and see Christian quietly typing away on his laptop.

"Why are you still up?" I ask, my voice still groggy.

"Just finishing some work," he replies, gently smoothing my unruly hair into place.

I throw the covers off and cuddle up next to him.

"Did I wake you," he asks concerned, shutting his laptop.

I shake my head, "No, you didn't."

"Are you sure. Because I can always go to my study to finish up. I don't want you to be tired at school tomorrow."

"No," I say, holding on to his arm, "I don't want you to go. And I don't want to go back to sleep."

He smiles, "Anastasia, I think you might be too sore for more sex. I don't want to hurt you."

Oh, Christian and his one track mine. "I wasn't asking for sex," I giggle, "I just want to cuddle with you. Take a break from work."

"Alright, baby." He sets his laptop down on the nightstand and pulls the duvet over us, wrapping me in his arms so that we're in the spooning position.

"Where'd you get the idea to tie me up like that?" I ask curiously.

"I've been doing some more research into BDSM."

"So what did you discover?"

"Well for starters… Countless ways I can tie you up."

"So there's more where that came from?"

"Definitely more, baby. There's a whole world of possibilities."

I squirm in his arms, feeling myself get wet again.

"I also think I found some other things you might like," he continues.

"Like?"

"Toys."

"Go on." I feel face flush and my body begins to react in naughty ways.

"Butt plugs," he states, "I saw how much you loved it when I played with you there tonight. Especially when I shoved my finger in there."

I blush as his bluntness. Oh, the things that man has done to me, and I still get embarrassed when he talks about my ass.

"You loved it, didn't you?"

"Oh, God yes. I loved it," I say in a breathy voice.

"Imagine how full you would feel if I fucked you with a butt plug in your ass. Or better yet, a vibrator in your pussy while I finally claimed your ass," he whispers into my ear, his voice oozing sex.

My panties are completely soaked because of his words.

"Stop making me wet," I moan.

He chuckles and replies, "That wasn't my intention. I thought we were having a serious conversation about what I'd like to do with your ass."

I turn around to face him and pout, "As stimulating as that sounds… We need to change the topic of conversation before I spontaneously combust."

"Okay, baby. Enough about your butt for tonight. Would you like to hear about some other toys… Nipple clamps, spreader bars, ben-wa balls, gags. The list goes on and on."

I don't know what most of those things are, but they sound intriguing. I feel my nipples start to harden from my arousal and another gush of wetness flows in between my legs.

"Christian," I warn, "Stop making me horny."

"Okay, okay," he yields, "But in all seriousness, I want to play some more with you. That is… If you want to play some more too."

I bite my lip. "Of course I want to play more with you. Why don't you order some stuff and then we'll see what we like. Perhaps sir would like to spank me with something other than his hand…"

"God, I love you." He places his palm on my cheek and kisses me.

"I love you too," I gasp.

"How did the wedding planning go?" he asks. His arms are wrapped tightly around my body and my head is tucked in the crook of his neck.

"It was good. But you know how Kate is," I sigh.

"Don't let her bulldoze you, baby. This is your wedding. Whatever you want, you're going to have."

"This is our wedding," I stress.

"Okay," he relents, "Our wedding."

"Which reminds me… I know we agreed on having the wedding in July. Did you have a specific date in mind?"

"Maybe July 4th weekend?" he suggests, "Everyone will have time off work."

"I think that's a great idea. So July 3rd? That's a Sunday."

"Sounds good to me."

Great, so now we have the date nailed down. Now we need a venue.

"Have you thought about a venue?" I ask.

"I don't really care, baby. But we can go wherever you please. The South of France is gorgeous in the summer."

"I don't think I want to have a destination wedding. We'll save that for the honeymoon."

"So where were you thinking?"

"Uncle Fitz might have said the White House was an option. The rose garden will be in full bloom in July. It could be stunning. Or there's always Seattle. A small, intimate ceremony overlooking the Sound. Maybe at your parent's estate."

"Both are lovely options. And I'm positive my mother would be more than willing to host, but…" his voice trails off.

"But?"

"I spoke with my father today."

Oh! That's what I forgot to do. I told Grace I would remind Christian to call back his father, but it totally slipped my mind.

Judging from his facial expression, I'm guessing that the conversation didn't go well.

"What happened?" I ask concerned.

"He apologized. Then proceeded to piss me off again."

"What did he do?"

"He said he would be happy to handle all the legal matters regarding our marriage. Originally, I thought he was talking about putting you in my will, officially putting your name on everything to do with GEH, and legally changing your name to Grey. But that's not what he meant at all. He wanted to make sure you had your own lawyer to go over a fucking prenup!"

A prenup! How did I forget about that? Of course Christian would want a prenup. He's going to be so much wealthier than I am.

"A prenup… I'll sign whatever you want Christian. I don't think I'll need my own representation. I don't want to take any of your money."

"No! No fucking prenup Anastasia! I told my father to stick his fucking prenup where the sun doesn't shine."

"But Christian," I argue, "It's to protect you. And GEH. It's so important to you. And I would never take anything you worked so hard to achieve. But if it makes you feel any better, I'll sign a prenup making sure that could never happen."

"No!" he repeats, "Ana, GEH isn't mine. It's ours. And I don't need you to sign some stupid paper saying you won't take half of everything that's mine if we split up. We're not getting divorced. Ever. So that point is moot. And even if you did leave me, you could take it all. It wouldn't matter to me because I wouldn't have you."

"I'm never going to leave you," I whisper, looking into his stormy grey eyes.

"I know, baby. I know."

"But your father…"

He silences me with a kiss. "He's just being a lawyer. And an asshole. Ignore him."

"I don't want your parents to think I'm with you for the money."

"They would never think that. You know my mother adores you. You're like her second daughter. And Carrick… Well, he loves you too. I think he's still angry at me for dropping out of Harvard. Don't worry about him."

"Okay," I sigh, "So no to Seattle for the wedding?"

"We can still have it there if you want. But I think it would be awkward trying to avoid Carrick."

"We're still inviting him to the wedding, though? Right?"

"At this point… I'm so mad at him. I don't know."

"He's your father, Christian. You'll work it out."

"I hope so."

"Why don't we have it at the White House rose garden. I think it will be a neutral zone for you and Carrick. And my father and Fitz will be over the moon. And Kate was really pushing for the White House. She said it would be like modern day Camelot."

"Except we're not political royalty," he comments.

"No, we're not," I laugh, "We're better."

"Damn right," he says, snuggling me closer.

I sigh contently in his arms and close my eyes.

"Are you tired, baby?"

"No. I just want to lay in your arms for a little while longer."

"Can I talk to you about something serious?"

I open my eyes again. "What is it about?"

"Your safety."

"Christian, if this is about today. Don't worry about it. I know how to handle myself next time."

"I do worry about it." He tucks a strand of hair behind my ear and replies, "If anything were to happen to you…"

"You can't protect me from everything, Christian."

"I can try."

"Christian…" I sigh, seeing the sincerity in his eyes.

"I want you to have personal security with you everywhere."

"Christian," I whine petulantly, "I don't need a babysitter."

"He won't be there to babysit you. He'll be there to protect you. Ana, what happened today was unacceptable. If you had security, you would have never been harassed. You could have been hurt, or trampled, or worse."

"But nothing happened to me. I'm perfectly fine."

"That's not the point. Something could have happened to you! And it's not just the paparazzi following you around that's worrying me. I don't want to scare you, but baby, we're getting really really rich. And I make a lot of enemies doing what I do. Baby, you're every kidnapper's dream. You're small and light. And someone could take you so easily off the street. It worries me every time you go out alone."

Hearing him say that puts things into perspective for me. I'd never thought of it that way. But at the same time, I don't want someone following me around every day. It's super weird, not to mention a huge violation of my privacy.

"Will he have to follow me everywhere?" I ask, "Will I not be able to walk around school by myself?"

"He'll need to be by your side at all times, Ana. Even Harvard isn't totally secure. There are tours all the time, and there's no way to vet everyone that goes in and out of there."

"So he'll be spying on me all day?"

"He'll be protecting you all day."

Protecting me? Then what about Christian? Surely if I'm at risk, he is too?

"Who's going to protect you?"

"I think I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself."

"And I'm not?" I raise my voice.

"Of course you're not! Baby, you know I love you. You're the strongest woman I know. But if someone wanted to hurt you or take you away from me…"

I see a tear pool in his beautiful eyes.

"Okay," I relent.

"Okay?" he repeats, perking up.

"Yes, I'll agree to a bodyguard, but if I'm getting one, so are you."

"Ana, I don't think…"

I cut him off, "Nope. That's the only way I'm agreeing to this." I wrap my arms possessively around his shoulders. "I need you safe too."

"Alright," he agrees, "I'll set up some meetings for your CPO tomorrow."

"And yours," I remind him.

"And mine."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Of course, my stubborn Ana would only agree to a CPO if I had one too. I should've seen that one coming.

"Hello, this is Fred Welch."

"Mr. Welch, this is Christian Grey. Raymond Steele gave me your information."

"Ah, yes. Ray's an old friend from the military. What can I do for you, Mr. Grey?"

"I'm looking into personal security for my wi… my fiancée and me."

"How many men did you have in mind?"

"Just two. One for each of us. I need them as soon as possible. Can interviews be scheduled today."

"That can be arranged. Were you looking for 24/7 guys or just day to day?"

"I think day to day to start. Just while we're out and about. My fiancée goes to school during the day, and I work from my office. We won't be needing anyone when we're home."

"Okay, that narrows it down a bit. Would you prefer if they were carrying?"

"Carrying what?"

"A firearm, sir."

I abhor guns, but if it will protect Anastasia...

"Preferably," I state.

"I have four guys that are available for interview today. I'll send you their resumes."

"I'll need all of them to sign NDA's prior."

"That won't be a problem."

"Perfect," I reply, "My company is also moving into its own building next week, and I'll need to organize security. Is that something you're experienced in?"

"Yes, I can do that, Mr. Grey. It would be better to schedule a meeting to hash out the details, though."

"I'll have my secretary send you times I'm available this week."

"Sounds good. I'll get you those resumes right away."

"Thank you, Mr. Welch. I'll be in touch."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Hi, Ms. Steele," Christian's assistant greets me when I walk to Christian's office.

"Hi, Olivia," I smile, "Is Christian available?"

"He's waiting for you, Ms. Steele. Go right in."

I open Christian's office door and see him talking to a burly man in a suit. He can't be much older than me.

"Ana," he greets me, "This is Sawyer."

"Ma'am," he says, shaking my hand. This guy can't be older than 25 and he's calling me ma'am? Christ, I've landed in an alternate universe.

"Just Sawyer?"

"Luke Sawyer's my name ma'am. But you can just call me Sawyer."

"Please call me, Ana. I'm not old enough to be called ma'am."

Line break

"What did you think of him, baby?" Christian asks me while I'm sitting on his lap in his desk chair.

"I liked him enough. How many more interviews are there?"

"Three. You can pick whichever one out of the bunch you like best. If you don't like any of them, I can always find more guys. But I'd like to have your CPO nailed down as soon as possible."

* * *

The next guy who comes to interview rubs me the wrong way. He gives me a creepy stalker vibe, and I immediately rule him out for both Christian and me.

The next goon in a suit introduces himself as Jason Taylor. He's in his late twenties and was in the army. He did three tours in Afghanistan, and although he seems to have a hard as nails exterior, he's definitely a teddy bear on the inside. I think he'll be good for Christian.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

The last fucker we're interviewing can't keep his fucking eyes off Ana. I practically throw him out of my office. Let's just say we won't be hiring him.

Jason Taylor seems like he'd be a good fit for me. He seems reliable and has a no-nonsense personality.

"Did you like any of them, baby?"

"I think you'd get along with Taylor."

"Me, too," I reply, "I'm going to hire him. But what about for you?"

"I liked Sawyer," she answers. Luke seemed like a good guy. Maybe a bit too good-looking for personal security, but he seemed professional. His eyes didn't linger over Ana's delectable body, so I don't think I'll have a problem with him.

"You think you'll be comfortable around him all day?"

She bites her lip and replies, "It will take some getting used to. But if it really means that much to you."

"It does. I need you safe."

"Alright. I won't fight you on this."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Sawyer starts following me around tomorrow, and I'm dreading it. I already stick out like a sore thumb at school. Although it's partly my fault because of my fame, having a CPO who isn't going to allow a stranger to get within a few feet of me is going to be so obvious.

A part of me wishes I was just a normal girl going to college. But then I'm reminded of everything I have. Financial security, amazing friends, and a husband whom I love more than life itself.

If having a CPO is the consequence of all my good fortune, I can deal with it.

* * *

After interviewing the CPO's Christian and I go home. Jerry's off doing God knows what, so Christian and I arrive at our house to a lovely sight. Kate turned our dinner table into wedding central. There are magazine cutouts of flower arrangements, couture wedding dresses, wedding cakes, wedding invitation ideas, and catering menus strewn all across the large table.

Christian hates mindless clutter, so I know he's not going to like this.

"Kate! Is this what you've been doing all day?"

"Of course!" she says like I'm crazy, "What else would I be doing?"

I open my mouth to answer, but Christian interjects, "Katherine, do I need to remind you that this is not your wedding?"

She chooses to ignore Christian and proceeds to shove a photo of a very revealing dress. The dress is form fitting sheer lace up my upper thigh that only covers what is completely necessary.

The bodice is sheer lace, only covering what's completely necessary. The waist of the dress is also made of the same sheer lace material, exposing my undergarments and leaving nothing to the imagination. Not to mention the dangerously low neckline. The skirt starts at my upper thigh, and the whole top half of the dress looks more like lingerie than a wedding dress. While I love dressing sexy for my husband, I don't think a wedding is the proper outlet to showcase my assets.

"You'd look so hot in this Steele! And it's by Vera Wang. This dress is iconic. I'm sure she's salivating at the thought of dressing you for your wedding. And didn't you say your Aunt Liv knows her? I'm sure she'd design you a dress like this. It's all the rage right now."

"Ummm," I reply, not wanting to hurt Kate's feeling. This is definitely not the kind of dress I envision getting married in.

I want to feel like a princess on my wedding day. I don't want a full ball gown, but I do want a skirt with body and a long train. And I definitely want crystals sewn into the dress. I'm thinking sleeveless or off the shoulder. Think Belle's dress from Beauty and the Beast in white.

"She's absolutely not wearing that dress," Christian comments, earning a glare from Kate.

"This doesn't concern you, Christian," she fights back.

"Yes, it does. And Ana's not wearing a dress like that to our wedding. Forget it."

"It's haute couture," Kate admonishes.

"I don't care if it's haute or froid couture!" ( **A/N: Froid means cold in French** )

I need to extinguish this fire. And fast.

"Hey, break it up guys," I say playing mediator. "Kate, I appreciate how excited you are for this wedding. And I love you, but this is my wedding and what I say goes. And Christian's right. I hate that dress. I already have something in mind, and I'd love to share it with you."

"Fine," Kate says petulantly, "Take Christian's side in everything. I mean, that's all it's been lately. Christian this! Christian that! If you didn't want me to help with the wedding you should've said so."

Kate throws a pile of papers off the table and runs upstairs to her room.

"Ana, I don't care if she's your best friend. She should never speak to you like that. I want her out. NOW." Christian growls.

"Just let her cool down." I find myself making excuses for Kate.

"Fine, but if she blows up at you again, she's out. Doesn't she have to go back to school soon, anyway? Surely, she can't miss this much class."

"She told me not to worry aboutit," I shrug.

"Of course she doesn't care about her grades," he grumbles.

"Why don't I make dinner," I smile, trying to change the subject.

"Okay, baby. I'm going to go change. Jerry says he'll be home soon."

He gives me a kiss before walking upstairs. I have a massive headache right now. I love Kate, but I'm way too overwhelmed with her enthusiasm. Planning a wedding is supposed to be an exciting time, not stressful.

I definitely need Karen and Mia's help. Hopefully, they'll balance out some of Kate's neuroticism, but something tells me that both of them will be just as excited as her. But I think those two are more inclined to listen to what I actually want.

I want a classy wedding. I still want all the grandeur and extravagance, but not in the style Kate's thinking of. When I pick up all the cutouts she threw on the floor, everything I see is very modern, up to the point where it's almost gaudy. I hate everything she's picked out. The decorations are all weird geometric shapes, the flowers are all wrong in unnatural colors (they definitely don't go with the silver and soft pink color scheme I told her I wanted), the ideas she has for invitations are very snobby. She wants me to send invitations in boxes. What is she thinking? Is a crisp white envelope with a beautifully embossed card on expensive stationery not enough? This is getting ridiculous. Maybe Christian was right. She's practically taken over my whole wedding in a day!

I love her, but is it a bad idea having her here? No… I can't think like that. She's my best friend, and she's only trying to be helpful.

I pick up everything that landed on the floor and neatly put the papers into piles on the table as to not freak out Christian's who's very OCD about organization and cleanliness.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Fucking Katherine Kavanagh!

I consider myself a good judge of character, and I never liked Kate. I used to occasionally hear her make snide comments that Ana would brush off. And I noticed that Kate always seemed jealous of Ana. I don't if it's because Ana was always more popular than her, richer than her or if it's because Ana has me, a man who loves her and worships that ground she walks on.

Kate was always desperate for any type of male attention. While Ana was fending off unwanted advances from men, Kate was always chasing them, spreading her legs for anyone with a pulse. She's like the female version of Elliot.

After I change out of my suit, I walk downstairs to see Kate's door slightly ajar. She's throwing all her clothes back in her suitcase, and she looks like she's getting ready to leave.

Good riddance! I'll gladly drive her back to the train station myself. Hell, I'll even get her a private plane if it means she'll be out of my hair.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

I turn on some happy music in efforts to relieve my stress and get started on dinner. I'm going to make grilled salmon with couscous and roasted asparagus. And some molten lava cake for dessert. Hopefully, that will butter up Kate enough to put her in a better mood.

I take out the ingredients to make the lava cake when my phone starts ringing. It's Aunt Liv.

"Hi, sweet girl!"

"Hey, Aunt Liv," I smile, happy to hear from her.

"How's engaged life treating you?"

"Well considering it's only been a few days… It's been amazing so far," I reply while admiring my engagement ring.

"Have you started planning the wedding yet. Fitz and I would be more than happy to host."

"I was going to call tomorrow. Christian and I would love to have our wedding in the rose garden."

"Oh!" she squeals, "Of course! I'll put the White House staff on alert. We'll need to plant some more roses for your special day."

"We were thinking July 4th weekend."

"This year?"

"Yes. You don't think it's too soon do you?"

"Of course not! You and Christian are made for each other. Why wait to make it official?"

"Thanks Aunt Liv," I sigh, still upset over Kate's blow up.

"Is everything, okay? You don't sound like a happy bride-to-be."

"I'm just a little stressed out. That's all."

"Talk to me."

"Kate came over from Brown. She's really excited to help plan the wedding, but I feel like she's completely bulldozed me and what I want in only a few days."

"Don't let her push you around. This is your special day. You're the boss here. Not her."

"Thanks, Liv. I really needed to hear that."

"With that said, I'd love to help you plan. I've got a pretty light schedule for the next few months."

"I'd love your help. I was going to ask Karen and Christian's sister, Mia, if they wanted to come this weekend to help. Karen told me she had the long weekend, and I'd really appreciate the input."

"We'll arrange the trip right away. I'll just have to let Fitz know. Maybe he'll make an appearance too. We both want to see you and Jerry."

"That sounds wonderful."

"Oh, and I forgot to mention," she adds, "I spoke to a few designers yesterday for the G20 summit I'm accompanying Fitz to. I hope you don't mind, but I mentioned that you were in the market for a wedding dress designer. They were all jumping at the bit to dress you. Vera Wang, Oscar de la Renta, Zuhair Murad, Alex Perry, Tamara Ralph and Michael Russo from Ralph & Russo, Clare Waight Keller from Givenchy, Carolina Herrera, Ellie Saab. Take your pick, and I'll have them in Boston for a consultation."

Oh my, every bride's dream. I'm giddy with excitement that all these legendary designers want to dress me.

"Of course I don't mind. Thank you so much! I was originally going to go with something off the rack at Kleinfeld."

"There's no way you're getting married to a future billionaire in an off-the-rack gown," she laughs.

"I guess not… Do you think you could schedule meetings with more than one? I have a vision of what I want, but I'd like to see who can bring it to life the best."

"That won't be a problem. And even if you don't choose them for your wedding, I know they'd be more than willing to design other pieces for you, whether it be haute couture or ready-to-wear fashion."

A whole wardrobe designed by Oscar de la Renta and Ellie Saab? I think yes.

She continues, "Do you have a few designers in mind? I'll call them first thing tomorrow morning to schedule meetings. If you want a completely from scratch, custom dress, we should probably get this done within the month. It could take three or four months to finish the gown, and then they'll have to do minor alterations after the dress is completed."

"Let's start with Vera Wang, Clare, Oscar de la Renta, and Tamara and Michael."

"All good choices," she gushes.

"Do you think they'd be willing to make the bridesmaids dresses as well?"

"They're going to be ecstatic."

"That's amazing. Could you schedule them for the weekend? I'd love if all you guys would come with me."

"Oh, we'd be honored, sweet girl. I'm looking forward to it. I'll have my assistant send you meeting times tomorrow."

"Thanks so much, Liv. Love you!"

"Love you too sweet girl."

The conversation with Liv puts me in a much better mood. Whereas Kate was being bossy and high-handed, Liv only cared about my opinion and what I wanted.

After I put the phone down, I put on an apron to protect my outfit of the day. It's a wool trench, knee-length dress with a belt in burnt orange by Oscar de la Renta. It's perfect for school – professional but still fashionable.

I take out the stand mixer to combine all the ingredients for my delicious chocolate lava cake: butter, flour, powdered sugar, eggs, vanilla, cocoa powder, and melted chocolate.

Christian comes down the stairs wearing his comfy clothes. Thankfully, I made sure all his leisure clothes were designer, so he's not looking homeless right now.

"Kate's upstairs packing," he informs me, "I'll gladly drive her to the train station."

I roll my eyes, "Let her cool down. I'm sure she doesn't really want to leave. I'm hoping chocolate lava cake will make her feel better."

Christian looks disappointed that he can't get rid of Kate but perks up at the mention of cake.

"I didn't realize my wife was Betty Crocker," he jokes, putting a spoonful of the chocolate batter into his mouth. "I love seeing you in my kitchen."

"How chauvinistic of you, Mr. Grey," I tease. "Is that the sole reason you married me? To have me barefoot in your kitchen."

"Why, of course, Mrs. Grey. But I think I'd prefer you barefoot and pregnant," he states, sporting a huge smile on his face.

'Christian!" I admonish at the mention of me being pregnant.

"What?" he asks innocently.

"Pregnant? Pregnant!"

He chuckles, "We talked about kids before. I know we both want them. But we never talked about when."

"Of course I want to have kids with you. But when we're older. Christian, I'm still in school and we're both so busy. And the wedding!"

"I didn't mean this year. But soon. Maybe in two years."

"I'll be in school for three more years."

"You don't have to finish school.," he shrugs.

"Christian! I'm not like you. I need to have a college degree to get a job."

"You don't need to work if you don't want to."

"I can't just be a socialite. Even though I'd be good at it, I'd lose my mind. I have to do something while you're off being master of the universe."

"I'd say you could come work for me, but I know you wouldn't take up my offer. If you want to work, I won't stop you. But do you really need a college degree? You're studying business. Is that really the field you want to go into?"

"No, but…"

"That's the point," he interjects, "Why get a degree in something you're not interested in?"

"I… I… my father…" I stutter. I have no idea what to say to him. Damn that man. He's always right. I hate studying business. It's not for me.

He shrugs, giving me an 'I told you so' look.

"What do you want to do, baby? Forget about what your dad thinks. He'll support you no matter what you choose."

"I love literature but…" I pause.

I love getting lost in beautiful tales of romance and heartbreak but as a full-time job? I don't think it's feasible. The publishing business has been in a steady decline with less and less children reading. And I'd probably have to start as an intern. It could be years before I would even see any manuscripts or be able to offer my opinion on new authors. Even despite the challenges, I just don't think I'm that passionate enough about books to make it my career. I much rather prefer cuddling up with a classic novel to relax than to have to monetize them.

"But what? I'll buy you a publishing house. You could run it or just be an editor and read manuscripts all day. I want to make all your dreams come true."

"I don't want you buying me a career, Christian. And I don't think I want to make publishing my career. I love reading, but publishing is a whole different monster."

Then comes a realization. I have no clue what direction my professional life is going in. I'm in college studying a topic I hate. I don't know what I'm passionate about that I could turn into a job.

"Go with what you're passionate about."

"That's the problem! I don't know what I'm passionate about."

This conversation is making me realize how unfocused my life is. I need to distract myself, so I get started on dinner.

I put the couscous in a pot of water and set it on the stove to boil.

Then, Christian says something that hits the nail right on the head.

"What about fashion?" he suggests, "You love it. You always keep up with the lastest trends and designers. You've practically turned me into a walking G Q model. And you're always impeccably dressed."

I swear this man knows me better than I know myself. Fashion has always been a hobby for me. It's something I love doing and something that brings me immense joy. But I'd never thought about fashion in terms of a career.

But then doubt starts to set in. My father would not be happy if I dropped out of college and pursued fashion. Plus, the fashion industry is so cutthroat. It would be a thousand times harder to make it in the fashion world compared to publishing. And while I'm amazing at selecting from fashion that's already been created, I know very little about actually designing clothes. I just know what looks good.

"Christian, I don't think…"

He cuts me off, "You love it, don't you?"

"Yes, but as my career?"

"Why not?"

"Well, first of all," I begin while picking up a knife to trim the asparagus, "My father would be so disappointed in me if I dropped out of college."

"You don't have to drop out. You can do what I did. Start your fashion house and still go to school. If you're successful and you love it, then you can make the decision whether staying in school is worth it or not. And I highly doubt your father would be disappointed in you for doing what makes you happy."

I argue, "That might be the case. But I still don't know anything about designing clothes let alone a whole collection."

"Then start off small. You don't have to try to live up to Oscar de la Renta your first time."

"And if I'm terrible at designing clothes?"

"There are other ways to build a brand. Hire the best designers – people you think have talent and potential. You have a keen eye for fashion, so you could curate their work. A creative director if you will. But I highly doubt you'll design anything short of stunning. If it's good enough for you to wear, it'll be a hit."

"You have a lot of faith in me," I muse.

I put the asparagus on a sheet tray, season it with salt and pepper, and put it in the oven.

I put a pan on the stove to sear the salmon when Christian replies, "Of course I believe in you, baby. I'm your husband. I'm supposed to be your biggest supporter. If fashion is something you want to pursue seriously, I'm completely on board. Emotionally and financially."

"You'd invest in me?"

"Yeah. I don't think you'd want to ask your dad for money. And you're sure as hell not taking a loan out from the bank."

And that's when I see it. I can picture myself working on sketches, designing clothes for fashion-forward women who want a modern yet classy look. I can see myself in an atelier, picking out only the best pieces to showcase in my debut collection. I dream of having my own runway show at New York Fashion Week.

"Grey by Ana Grey," I state proudly.

Christian raises his eyebrow at me, looking confused.

"For my brand."

He smiles and replies, "Grey by Anastasia Grey. I love your full name."

Grey by Anastasia Grey does sound better. Much more high-end.

"I do want to finish my first year of college though," I state, "I'm thinking that after the wedding would be the perfect time to start."

"That sounds like a great plan, baby. And just think of it. We might have two CEO's in the household. And maybe a mini-CEO in the making?"

And there it is. Bringing up a baby again.

"I didn't realize you wanted a baby so soon?"

"Neither did I," he responds.

"What changed your mind?"

"I don't know exactly. But maybe it's the fact that we're already married. And we're financially stable. And we love each other more than any two people on the planet. We'd have so much love to give a child."

Again, Christian makes such good points. We may be young, but we're both way beyond our years. We're not like most kids our age. We'd be able to provide everything our child could ever need or want. But at the same time, we're still so young. We have plenty of time to have a baby. We should be enjoying our time together, just us.

"Don't you want to travel the world together? Spend time as just a couple?"

"We've had almost three years to be together as a couple. And we can travel the world with the baby. Baby Grey would love to see the world too. You've been going to Paris in the summer ever since you were young. I'd love to share memories of the city of love with our child. A Paris chateau could be a good investment, too. And I'm not talking about having a baby right away. I do want to wait until we're "officially" married. But I was thinking after a year of marriage. Why not? Can't you imagine babies in cute little designer outfits running around the house?"

I smile at the visual, imaging a mini Christian. A baby boy with grey eyes and dark copper hair, just like his father. I can see us talking our child for a walk down the Champs-Élysées, yachting in Monaco, exploring the ancient ruins in Rome, eating pasta in Italy until we pass out. It's like sounds like a dream. And my very own chateau? Damn it! Now I have baby fever.

"There's nothing more I want than to have your child, Christian. Can we reevaluate in a year? Who knows what will be going on in our lives by then."

"We'll wait until you're ready. I don't want to push you into this." He places his hand on top of mine, sensing the need for contact.

"I just want to make sure we'll be in a good place in our lives. I want to raise my child, our child the right way. I don't want to hand him or her off to a nanny. I want both of us to have the time for the baby. You might be so busy with how fast GEH is expanding. I don't want to have too much on our plates," I voice my concerns.

"Nothing will be more important to me than you and our child." His words comfort me.

I give him a warm smile. Christian is going to be an amazing father. There's no doubt in my mind.

He places a kiss on my cheek and takes a seat to watch me cook.

I take the finished salmon out of the pan and onto a serving tray. I then check the couscous and am satisfied, so I use a fork to fluff it up a bit and put it into a serving bowl. The next thing I do is take the asparagus out of the oven and put it on another serving tray.

The lava cake should take about half an hour, so I put the batter in ceramic ramekins then place them in the oven. They should be done by the time we finish dinner, so they'll be perfectly warm when we start dessert. And we still have tons of vanilla ice cream in the freezer. Yum.

I'm just about to call Kate down for dinner when she comes tumbling down the stairs with her luggage.

"Kate? Don't leave…"

She interrupts me, "Don't worry about it, Ana. I booked a train back to Providence. And I called an Uber. I'll be out of your hair."

I want to argue with her, but it looks like her mind is already made up. She violently opens up the front door and runs straight into Jerry who is just getting home. She doesn't even say sorry and dashes out of the house.

"Did you scare her away, C?" Jerry snickers.

"Something like that," Christian laughs.

I think about running after her, but if she's going to act like this, I don't want to bother.

* * *

"Your mom called me today," I inform Jerry over dinner.

"Wow, and she doesn't have time to call me back," he replies.

I giggle, "She likes me more than you. Anyways, your mom and Karen are coming this weekend. And possibly your father."

"Why?" he asks.

"To plan the wedding obviously. And Liv is setting up wedding dress consultations for me this weekend, and I want them to come. And your dad misses us."

"So C scares away Kate and you need to call in reinforcements?"

"Hey, in my defense," Christian interjects, "she was being really difficult. Ana doesn't need stress in her life right now."

I open my mouth to defend my best friend, but I can't. While she may not have deserved that verbal lashing from Christian, she was not helping me relieve the stress of planning a wedding, she was adding to it.

"Can I come with you guys?" Christian grins, "I could help you get in and out of the dresses."

"You perv!" Jerry exclaims.

"You can't see the bride in her dress before the big day. And I won't be trying on any dresses. I'm getting a custom dress, so we're meeting with a handful of designers to see who can bring my vision to life."

"Okay, Miss Fancy Pants."

"Seriously, Jer. How old are you?" Christian chuckles.

"Oh, I want to invite Mia as well, Christian," I inform him, "Maybe your mom would like to come too?"

"That's probably a good idea. Mia would have a fit if she was left out. And Grace will definitely love to."

"Perfect," I squeal, "I'll call them after dinner."

* * *

"Ahhhh!" Mia screams at me through the phone. "I'm so excited. We're going to meet Vera Wang and Oscar de la Renta! I could die!"

I just told Mia the designers we would be meeting with to discuss my wedding dress. Let's just say Mia's freaking out right now.

"I know Mia. I'm super excited too. They're going to design the bridesmaids dresses too, so I hope you have a style in mind. I'm only asking that the dresses are pale pink. That's the color scheme for the girls."

"Me! A bridesmaid?" Mia squeals.

"Of course, you. Who else would I ask?"

"Oh, Ana. Thank you so much. I love you!"

"I love you too, Mia. Can you put your mother back on the phone?"

"Yeah, I'll go get her."

I can hear her screaming 'mom' in the background noise.

"Hi, dear," Grace says.

"Hey, Grace. I can have Christian charter you two a plane. Carrick's welcome to come as well. I know he and Christian recently had another disagreement…"

"Oh, don't you worry about him. I had a stern conversation with him this afternoon. I'm so furious with him. I can't believe he would stick his nose in your business like that."

"It's really okay, Grace. He's a lawyer. And I'm sure he was just looking out for his son's best interests."

"Even so, he was totally out of line. He'll be staying at home this weekend trying to figure out how to make it up to Christian. And don't worry about a plane, darling. I just booked first class tickets to Boston."

"Christian would feel more comfortable if you were flying private."

"Oh, nevermind him. That child becomes so successful and is now trying to charter me a private plane. He's ridiculous. Tell him Mia and I will be just fine slumming it in first class."

"Will do," I laugh. "When does your plane get in? At least let us pick you up from the airport."

"Friday at 9 pm." Shit, that reminds me. I'll have to finish furnishing the other two spare bedrooms. Aunt Liv's staying at a hotel for security reasons, but Karen will be staying with us. We'll make it a girl's weekend!

"Alright, we'll see you then."


	22. Friends and Family

**Ana's POV**

"Good morning, ma'am, Mr. Grant," Sawyer greets Jerry and me when we walk outside the house.

Jerry's bulletproof Suburban along with two Secret Service agents are already waiting outside to take us to school.

"Good morning, Sawyer," I smile, "Why don't you just meet me at school." I point to the two very intimidating agents. "I think I'll be safe for the ten minute drive with those guys."

"With all due respect ma'am…"

I cut him off and state, "Ana."

"I'm sorry?"

"Sawyer, will you please call me Ana? If I hear ma'am one more time…"

"Mr. Grey wouldn't approve."

"Well, Mr. Grey's not here."

"I would listen to her if I were you," Jerry interjects, "We all know she's the real boss around here. Not Mr. Grey."

"Can we settle for Miss Steele?" Sawyer asks.

I roll my eyes. There's no way Sawyer's going to not follow Christian's instructions to a tee. He's a military man. They tend to take orders really well.

"So you'll meet us at school?" I ask.

"Mr. Grey insisted I ride with you guys."

Ugh, is Christian really being serious! There are already two highly trained agents following Jerry. Do we really need to have all three at once?!

"I don't think that's necessary."

"It was an order, Miss Steele. Not a suggestion."

* * *

Jerry and I are now sitting in our first class of the day. Sawyer's keeping a watchful eye on me from the back of the lecture hall. He's standing right next to Jerry's watchdogs, so he definitely could pass as another one of Jerry's goons. They're all dressed similarly in black suits and ties.

"How do you deal with the security?" I ask Jerry when we get to our usual seats.

"You'll get used to it."

"Don't you think it's a huge invasion of privacy?"

"It is. But you're going to have to give up a little privacy for security. Plus, it's not like Sawyer is that interested in what you're doing. He's just here to protect you."

"It feels weird to have someone following me."

"You'll feel that way for a while. You know, when my dad got the nomination, the whole family was required to have security. Karen tried countless times to give her security detail the slip. It took her a while before she understood that security was a sacrifice we all had to make. Look on the bright side, Banana. You only have one guy instead of two like Karen and me."

* * *

Walking into my English Lit class, all the students stare at me more than usual. It's probably because of my shadow. Sawyer's very conspicuous, standing out among all the other college students. He's a good 250 pounds of muscle and is well over six feet tall.

Since the classroom is much smaller than the lecture hall I had econ in, Sawyer sticks out like a sore thumb.

I walk to my usual seat and notice that Brody's not here today. He's usually always early, so I'm guessing that the baseball team had an away game today.

Sawyer takes his position against the wall directly behind me. His eyes are very alert, and he's constantly looking in every direction. Christ, it's like he doesn't think I'm safe here. I'm at Harvard! Relax a little.

When the professor walks in, she looks unsurprised to see a burly man lurking in her classroom. Christian must have called ahead to the school to give them a head's up about my new security.

She starts the lesson for today, and unlike every other day, I find my mind wandering to the conversation I had with Christian last night.

Me. A designer? It sounds so far fetched. I don't think I'll be good at it, but I'll never know if I don't try.

I take out a clean sheet of paper and start to draw. I do have an upcoming wedding – an amazing source of inspiration.

I take my time drawing the wedding dress I've always envisioned myself getting married in. A stunning, white, off-the-shoulder, gown with crystal embellishments, a long train, and a long veil.

I get so lost in my drawing that the whole hour of class goes by in a flash.

When I take a look at the finished product, I'm stunned. I didn't think I'd be able to pull it off. It looks kind of good. It's a bit rough around the edges, nothing like a professional sketch. But it's a good start.

I'm so proud of myself that I send Christian an email with a photo of my sketch attached.

* * *

 **From:** Anastasia Steele

 **Subject:** You were right

 **Date:** January 19, 2011: 13:22

 **To:** Christian Grey

Christian,

It seems you were right. I think I want to make design my career.

I attached a photo of my first sketch. What do you think? Could I be the next Oscar de la Renta?

Xx Ana

* * *

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Gorgeous

 **Date:** January 19, 2011: 13:29

 **To:** Anastasia Steele

Mrs. Grey,

The sketch is gorgeous, just like you. You can do anything you set your mind on.

Might I see that dress come to fruition on our wedding day? You'll look like a princess in that gown. _My princess._

And forget about being the next Oscar de la Renta. You're Anastasia Grey.

Christian Grey

Proud CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

I have interviews for a new PA today. I fired Olivia this morning. She was incompetent and was quite frankly very annoying and unprofessional.

And I have to say, I'm getting along well with Taylor. He doesn't say much. He does what I ask him to do without question.

"Taylor," I shout through the intercom.

I set him up in the unoccupied office next to mine for the time being. I'm planning on having a security suite when we move into the new building.

"Yes, Mr. Grey?"

"Please bring in the applicant for my new PA. And please kick out anyone who looks unprofessional — low cut tops, unnecessarily short skirts. You'll know it when you see it."

"Of course, Mr. Grey."

I have about 30 applications for the job, but I know that out of the thirty women, more than half of them are only interested in the job to fuck me.

That's why I told all of them to come to the office today. It's much more efficient to kick the hussies out all at once than to have to be forced to sit in an interview with them.

A few minutes later, Taylor knocks on my office door.

"Mr. Grey?"

"Come in."

He pops his head in the door and I ask, "How many of them are left?"

"Only three, sir," he informs me.

Wow. Way less than I thought. I hope I can find someone decent for the job, though.

"Send the first one in," I instruct.

* * *

I end up selecting Miss Andrea Parker for the job as my personal assistant. She had experience working as a personal assistant to someone famous. Not like I care, but her reference gave her a glowing recommendation as someone who was efficient, organized, and hard-working.

Plus, what makes her even more appealing is that she has a husband and an 18-month-old baby girl. So, there's no chance she'd be interested in hitting on me. She's just what I fucking need for this office.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Ever since that first sketch, I haven't been able to stop. After my wedding dress, I was inspired to just draw so much more. I now have five different dress designs that I think would all look gorgeous on the runway. And I've noticed I've been in a much better mood at school. Granted, I'm not paying attention anymore because I'm drawing, but I think I really want to pursue this.

Christian and I are now on our way to pick up Grace and Mia from the airport. It's a bit unusual now that either Taylor or Sawyer follows us whenever we're out and about. Today Taylor's tailing us in a brand new, dark grey Audi Q7. A perk of the job as Christian calls it.

Christian's driving his new little toy – a Bentley Bentayga. A present to himself for finishing a $100 million deal. Christ, at this rate, he might be a billionaire by the summer!

* * *

 **Daily Mail**

The country's hottest couple right now, Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele were spotted at Boston Logan Airport last night. But these two lovebirds weren't jetting off anywhere. They were there to pick up Grey's mother and sister.

And we have word from the White House that President Grant, the First Lady, and their daughter, Karen Grant will be making an unofficial impromptu trip to Boston.

Is it safe to say some major wedding planning is going down… Or perhaps the wedding?

* * *

Karen and Aunt Liv arrived in Boston this morning, so they're coming over to our house for breakfast. Uncle Fitz had a last-minute meeting, so he'll be coming this afternoon.

While us girls are meeting with designers for my dress, the boys are going to catch a Celtics game.

Christian is holed up in his study since he'll be taking a much-needed break this afternoon to spend time with Jerry and Uncle Fitz.

I'm getting dressed in a more avant-garde outfit today – an ice cream printed charmeuse Dolce & Gabbana long-sleeved mini dress. I'm on a pair of Jimmy Choo sandals and grabbing my black crocodile Birkin bag and leather Versace coat when I smell the heavenly scent of bacon coming from downstairs. Grace must be making breakfast.

* * *

"The house is lovely, Ana," Grace compliments.

I finally gave in and hired an interior decorator to finish furnishing the space. Best decision I ever made. I don't know how I thought I was going to get this big of a house decorated all by myself. She was fast, too. She got it done in a couple of days, ready for everyone's arrival.

"Thank you. Can I help with breakfast?"

"You're not going to lift a finger. I'll make breakfast, it's the least I can do."

"Is Mia still sleeping?" I giggle. It's 10:30 am already.

"She claims it's jetlag. But she's just lazy. Don't mind her. The second we tell her she might miss her chance to meet Oscar de la Renta and Vera Wang, she'll be up in a flash."

* * *

"Hey, Mrs. G," Jerry greets as he walks down the stairs, "Breakfast smells great."

"Here you go, Jerry," she smiles, handing him a full plate of pancakes and bacon.

"Did you see Christian upstairs?" I ask, taking a bite of my pancakes with maple syrup.

"I heard him yelling at someone on the phone in his study." Not a surprise there.

"Ugh, that boy needs to stop working and spend some time with his family. I'll go get him," Grace announces.

Grace walks upstairs to fetch Christian when the doorbell rings. Oh! That must be Liv and Karen.

I rush out of my seat to open the door. Sure enough, Karen and Liv are here with four Secret Service agents behind them.

"Ahhh!" I scream when I see them.

They both crush me with a big family hug. Oh, how I've missed them.

"Ana!" Karen screams, "Your dress is amazing! Oh, and the ring! Show me."

I hold out my left hand with pride, and Karen gasps, "Wow! This is insane. Did you pick it out?"

"Christian had it custom made."

"Swoon," she says fanning her face with her hand dramatically.

"It's beautiful, dear," Liv adds, "The photos don't do it justice."

"Grace made breakfast," I say, leading them through the foyer. "Christian should be finishing up in his study soon. Oh, and there's your son."

Jerry's entertaining Mia at the table. That girl is all giggles and loony eyes for him.

Christian walks down the stairs with his mother, holding his phone to his ear. "I'll have to call you later, Ros," he says.

Oh, my whole family's together, and my heart is full of happiness.

* * *

 **Fox News**

Good afternoon. You're watching Fox News, and this is Bret Baier.

We have a big leak coming out of the White House today.

Rumors of an upcoming White House wedding have been circulating ever since Anastasia Steele, who is considered an honorary member of the Grant family, got engaged to multi-millionaire Christian Grey, CEO of Grey Enterprises Holdings.

A member of Mrs. Grant's staff, who has asked to remain anonymous, confirmed that a wedding for the newly engaged couple will be held in the White House rose garden this summer.

Miss Steele is also the daughter of the White House's National Security Advisor, Raymond Steele, who is close friends with President Grant.

A White House insider told us this: "Anastasia is practically part of the Grant family. Jerry, Ana, and Christian live in the same townhouse in Boston, and all three attended Harvard before Christian dropped out. She's also very close to Karen Grant, and the First Lady treats her like her own daughter. They're ecstatic to host the wedding."

This will be the eighteenth wedding held on White House grounds and the 4th wedding held in the rose garden. The last wedding to be held at the White House was in 1994 for Nicole Boxer and Tony Rodham, the brother of the former first lady, Hillary Clinton. Details of the upcoming wedding and the exact date have not been confirmed yet, but we will certainly keep you updated.

Now, breaking news from Afghanistan...

* * *

All the ladies get into one bulletproof Suburban for our meetings at the Ritz Carlton. Liv arranged all four of the designers to meet us there at different times. We'll have an hour with each of them.

Mia and Karen are about ready to burst out of their seats in anticipation. Mia even wore one of Oscar de la Renta's designs that she wants him to sign. Now that would be a dress worth a hell of a lot of money.

The first meeting is with Oscar. He's a legend in the fashion industry, dressing everyone from Taylor Swift and Anne Hathaway to Hillary Clinton and Nancy Reagan. And he might personally design my wedding dress?! Insanity.

The second meeting is with Vera Wang. Her name is practically synonymous with brides. A Vera Wang wedding dress on your special day is every girl's dream. She's dressed numerous celebrities: Alicia Keys, Mariah Carey, Ivanka Trump, and Victoria Beckham to name a few.

The last meeting is with Tamara Ralph & Michael Russo. The couple founded the label, Ralph & Russo only a couple of years ago, but have made a complete splash. They caught people's attention when Angelina Jolie, Beyonce, and members of Britain's monarchy were spotted wearing their designs.

God, I really can't go wrong with any of these designers. I'm going to be in fashion heaven all day today. Maybe I'll show them some of my sketches to see what they think and ask for some advice.

* * *

When we arrive at the hotel, the media and paparazzi are already camped outside, blocking the entrance.

"The hotel's staff must have tipped off the media," Olivia says, annoyance in her voice. "I'm so sorry, Ana. This is a circus."

"It's not your fault."

"Ugh, leeches," Karen exclaims.

Reporters are shouting all kinds of questions at all of us, while the agents try to push everyone back. I put on my large sunglasses to cover my face and to shield my eyes from the flashes.

Grace senses my anxiety, so she wraps her arm around me as we walk into the hotel.

"Do you have to deal with all that every day, Ana?" Grace asks me.

"It's usually not that bad. But that's why Christian hired Sawyer."

She gives me a sympathetic smile. "Let's not focus on them," I comment, "Today's supposed to be a happy day."

* * *

"Oh my god, Oscar de la Renta just signed my dress!" Mia squeals after he leaves.

We all laugh at her.

"What did you think of him, Ana?" Liv asks me.

"I think he had some good ideas, but…"

To be honest, I hated all his ideas. They were much too ostentatious, and he wouldn't listen to the ideas I had. He came in with a whole portfolio, showing me pieces he thought I would look good in. He was a nice guy, but much too overbearing and opinionated.

"... I'm not sure I liked his ideas."

"Well, we still have two more meetings, dear," Grace reasons, "Don't get your hopes down too much."

* * *

The meeting with Vera Wang didn't go much better. Both she and Oscar are very established designers, who probably have never taken direction from anyone before. It must be hard for them to relinquish creative control.

Like Oscar, Vera came in with her own ideas and portfolio. All of her designs were beautiful, but they weren't speaking to me. I used to watch Say Yes to the Dress, and when women would burst into tears because of their dress, that's when they knew it was the one. And I want to feel that.

These meetings have made me exhausted, so Liv ordered us some pastries and tea that we're now munching on.

The last meeting of the day is with Tamara and Michael. I have high hopes for this one. They're not as established as the other two, so I hope they will listen to my ideas and maybe even take a look at my sketch.

* * *

The duo walks into the room with an air of confidence and killer outfits.

They are led in by our security guards, and we all stand up to greet them.

"Tamara!" Liv greets her with a hug. "Thank you so much for coming on such short notice."

"We're thrilled to be here, Olivia," she says in a quintessential British accent.

"And Michael, it's always a pleasure."

"Likewise, Mrs. Grant."

"Where's the blushing bride?" Tamara asks.

"That would be me," I smile.

"Oh, even prettier in person. Isn't she Michael?"

"Yes, dear."

"Oh, we are going to design you the perfect dress!"

We all take our seats on the very expensive and regal inspired, gold-toned chaises. The waiters come over with more tea and croissants for us.

"Where should we start?" I ask.

"Tell me about your fiance. Christian, right?" Tamara asks.

"Yes," I smile just thinking about him. "What would you like to know about him?"

"I want to understand you. A dress is more than pieces of fabric sewn together. I want your dress to represent you, your relationship, how you feel about the man you're going to marry."

"He's… he's just perfect for me," I say with a huge grin on my face, "He's tall, handsome, intense, loyal, loving."

"How does he make you feel?"

"Loved, respected, cared for. He makes me feel wanted. He makes me feel sexy…"

"Ew, Ana!" Mia squeals, "TMI!"

I can't help but laugh as I continue, "He just makes me feel so much more."

Tamara grabs my hand, "I can tell how in love you two are. I can feel your spirit, Ana."

"I think I have something in mind, but I want to hear what you want in a dress first."

Wow, a welcome change from the tyranny of the other designers.

I feel really comfortable with Tamara. Not just because she's a friend of Olivia's, but because I think we just click. She has such a warm, amiable personality.

I take out the sketch of my dream dress from my Birkin and hand it to Tamara.

"I didn't know you were an artist, Ana," Grace states.

"I didn't either. I've taken up a new hobby," I answer.

"Wow, that looks amazing," Karen comments, "Why didn't you show that to us before?"

I shrug my shoulders.

"This is stunning, imaginative, and just what I envisioned for you," Tamara muses.

"So you like it?" I ask nervously.

"Like it? I love it! It's just smashing!" Michael nods his head in agreement.

"It's my first sketch. I know that it isn't all that detailed… or professional."

"Oh, nonsense! And for your first try, no less! You might take my job soon," she jokes.

"Did you want an exact replica? Because I have a few ideas that I think might make your design look that much more spectacular."

"I'm open to suggestions," I smile.

"I think it could use diamonds!" Mia giggles.

"Oh, she's right," Karen adds.

I see Olivia and Grace both roll their eyes at their daughters.

"I'm with you girls," Tamara agrees.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"How's the wedding planning going?" Fitz asks from our private box seats at the Celtics game.

"I'm letting Ana have free reign over everything. I think it's best not to offer my opinion on some things."

"Smart man," he says, handing Jerry and I a beer.

"If the press sees us with this, you're going to be in big trouble, dad," Jerry laughs.

"Cheap beer is an American tradition. Plus, it appeals to the base."

"The Dems will crucify you for it come reelection time," I add, taking a swig of the shitty beer.

"Live a little guys," he smirks.

* * *

 **Vogue**

 _The First Lady Stuns in Gucci Alongside Newly-Engaged Anastasia Steele in Dolce & Gabbana_

Our First Lady never disappoints us with her style. She was photographed in Boston outside of the Ritz Carlton hotel with her daughter, Karen Grant, Anastasia Steele, socialite Grace Grey and her daughter Mia Grey, also Anastasia's future in-laws.

Mrs. Grant was wearing a Huishan Zhang pantsuit that was just seen on the runway in Paris. But the main attraction of her outfit was a pink, Swarovski crystal embellished, Gucci coat. She accessorized with a classic black Prada Saffiano tote and a pair of black patent leather Louboutins.

Steele looked totally chic in an ice-cream-printed, charmeuse Dolce & Gabbana mini dress and a fresh off the runway Versace leather coat. Her accessories: a black crocodile Birkin and Jimmy Choo strappy sandals. Also seen on Miss Steele was obviously her stunning engagement ring, but she was also wearing an ornate Boucheron flower ring with a four-carat ruby. We are obsessed with her outfit and are dying to get a look at her closet, especially her jewelry collection.

Miss Karen Grant, who is known for expertly mixing high end and affordable brands, went all haute couture for her day out, and we are loving it. She was seen in a knee-length, navy blue Carolina Herrera dress and a double-breasted, tan Givenchy wool coat. She added a pop of color with her accessories: a Givenchy crossbody bag and Tabitha Simmons x Johanna Ortiz flats, both in honey yellow.

Mia Grey was sporting a lot of Fendi. With an Oscar de la Renta knee-length dress, Miss Grey was wearing a fur coat, a fur beanie, and black pumps, all monogrammed with Fendi's signature logo. She was also carrying Fendi's classic Peekaboo mini bag in black.

Grace Grey, rocked a classy, professional style in a baby-blue Oscar de la Renta wrap dress and a beige Burberry trench coat. Gracing her neck was a very large pearl necklace. Her other accessories included a pair of suede, baby-blue Jacquemus mules, and an Ombre Lizard Birkin Bag. A handbag like that will set you back around a hundred grand.

This might be the most fashion-forward family we've seen in a while. The ladies were spotted having tea in a private ballroom at the hotel and were reportedly there for meetings. While the nature of those meetings is unknown, we do know they looked great doing it.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Thank you so much, Tamara. I'm so excited that you're going to design my dress." She's taking my measurements in the powder room right now. Everyone else is finishing up their tea with Michael.

"It's such an honor, Ana. You are absolutely stunning. But I am making the dress based on your design. You should get some credit too. Have you thought about getting into the fashion industry?"

"It's funny you ask because I am. My fiance actually was the one who convinced me."

"Well, I think you'd be a hit. Do you have any other designs? I'd love to see them."

"Oh, of course," I say, grabbing my purse.

I take out my notepad and hand it to her. I have about five other sketches of dresses – a variety of casual and formal wear.

"Beautiful," she muses, "Absolutely beautiful. Have you thought about fabrics and details yet?"

"No, not yet. I don't really know how to put together a piece, yet."

"I'd love to help you. I have an atelier in New York where I'll be making your dress. You should come down and see the workshop. It will really give you a feel of the industry and the work you'll have to put it."

"That sounds wonderful. Truly."

"It's my pleasure. I was a newcomer in the fashion industry, and Michael and I had such a hard time finding our way. I'd love to help a newbie out. And I know talent when I see it. I can already picture an autumn collection at New York Fashion Week."

* * *

 **CNN**

 _President Grant spends time with his son and Christian Grey at a Celtics game in Boston_

Instead of working on the budget sitting on his desk, President Grant chose to spend quality time with his son, Jerry, and Christian Grey, the youngest phenom in the business world.

The First Lady was with Karen Grant, Anastasia Steele who is Grey's fiancee, along with Grey's mother and sister at the Ritz Carlton.

A White House staffer reported to us that the purpose of the Grants' visit was to help Miss Steele and Mr. Grey plan their wedding, which is rumored to be held at the White House this summer.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"How'd the meetings go today, baby?" I ask Ana over dinner.

"It was amazing, Christian!" Mia jumps in. "Oscar de la Renta signed my dress. And Vera Wang. Oh my God, I could've died right there."

"I don't recall asking you," I quip.

Ana giggles and replies, "I'm going with Tamara and Michael for my dress. She actually invited me to her atelier in New York to see the dress being made." She whispers, "I even showed her some of my designs. She's going to be like my mentor, I guess."

"I knew you were talented. I'm so proud of you." I give her a quick kiss on the lips.

"Eww," Jerry groans, "No PDA at the dinner table guys."

"Always so immature, Fitzgerald," Olivia chastises him, giving her husband a kiss too.

"Ugh, I'm with Jerry," Karen says, "Couples are nauseating."

"You'll know the feeling when you're in love," Ana smiles, giving me another kiss.

* * *

"Hi, this is Jane from the Seattle Nooz. How can we help you?"

"This is Katherine Kavanagh. And I've got a bombshell for you."

"I'm listening…"

* * *

 **The Seattle Nooz**

Mr. and Mrs. Christian Grey…

Could the power couple already be married?

We think YES!

Christian and Anastasia have just officially announced their engagement, but that was all a lie. A person who identified themself as a close friend of the couple confirmed that the couple is already married and refer to each other as Mr. and Mrs. Grey.

We did some digging through marriage records, and the facts check out. Christian Grey and Anastasia Steele obtained a marriage license on January 9 at a Boston courthouse. And we also found a legal document, officially changing Anastasia's last name from Steele to Grey.

The Nooz would like to be the first to officially congratulate the pair on their marriage.

But why the rush? Could there be a baby Grey on the way?

Updates to follow…


	23. Changes

**A/N:** Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in a while. I've been really busy moving into my new house. I've just gotten settled in, so I'll be back to updating regularly next week. And if you haven't already, please go check out my new story. It's called Darker than Grey, and I'm really excited about it!

* * *

 **Chapter 20 - Changes**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Who the fuck told them?" Christian screams.

"Only Jerry knew. But it wasn't him."

"Then who the fuck was it?" he shouts again. He's livid.

I rack my brain thinking about who could've known. It's obviously none of our family. They would never betray us like that, and I don't think they even had an inkling that we might have gotten married.

Christian is tugging at his hair with no mercy, pacing back and forth.

"I swear to God, I'm going to end whoever leaked this information."

He picks up his phone and dials a number.

"Who are you calling?"

"Barney."

I can only hear Christian's side of the conversation.

"I'm sure you heard the news."

"Yes, thank you."

"I want to know who the fuck leaked this. And I don't care how."

"By tomorrow."

He ends the phone call. "Barney should have answers for us by tomorrow. He's going to make a few calls to the Seattle Nooz and see what he can find out. If he comes up to scratch, he's not above hacking in phone records and wiretapping."

"Christian," I admonish, "Isn't that illegal?"

"Only if you get caught."

"Do we really need to make a big deal out of this?" I ask.

"Yes, we do Anastasia. Someone invaded our privacy, and I'll be damned if I don't find out who it is. And our families are fucking upset that they weren't included. Didn't you see the damn waterworks from Mia tonight?"

"Mia will get over it. And Grace and Olivia were nothing but supportive. They understood our decision to get married right away. We were in love, and we didn't want to wait. The spur of the moment can be so romantic."

"I don't want your father to hate me," he mumbles.

"What? Why would he hate you."

"Because I denied him the chance of walking his little girl down the aisle. If we have a daughter, baby, I'd be crushed if I didn't get to walk her down the aisle."

"He will get the chance to walk me down the aisle. At our wedding. It's six months away. And my father adores you. Stop doing that!"

"Doing what?"

"Doubting yourself. Everyone just wants us to be happy. And we are so happy together." I pull him into an embrace. "My dad adores you. You know why?"

"Why?"

"Because you treat me like a princess. And you look at me like I'm the only girl in the world. And you take care of me. What more could a father want for his daughter? Stop doubting yourself. You may not be perfect, but you're damn close."

"God, I fucking love you." He pulls me into a passionate kiss.

When we break for air, I say, "You know our families were going to find out anyway. They're so nosy that it was only a matter of time."

"I still want to find whoever gave the Seattle Nooz this information."

"Okay. But please don't do anything illegal."

"No promises."

"Hey, look on the bright side," I smile, pulling out the chain from under his shirt, "You can wear this now."

I unclasp the necklace and put the wedding band in its rightful place.

"Yeah," he smirks and gives me a kiss. He does the same with my wedding band and continues, "Now everyone will know you're officially Mrs. Grey."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

What a shitty start to the work week. After a disastrous end to the weekend with my marriage being revealed, Mia's meltdown, and the underlying disappointment from our family because they weren't present at the wedding, I do not need to add an incompetent accountant to the mix.

"Grey," I hiss into my phone.

"Mr. Grey, it's Barney. I have information on the leak."

"Come to my office," I say. At least this is something I can control – ruining this person's life.

* * *

"Before we start," I say when Barney walks into my office, "I need to know how you got this information."

"I originally called the Seattle Nooz directly to see if any of their employees would talk. When none of them did, my first thought was to check their email server. I didn't see anything related to the leak on their email, so I went through their phone records next. I estimated a time frame of when the call was placed from the time the article was posted, and I cross-referenced every number to single out the direct source of the leak."

I stare at him quizzically. That sounds very illegal. "Were you careful?" I ask.

"Don't worry, Mr. Grey. I covered my tracks."

"I'm glad we have all our bases covered. So who was the leak?"

"Katherine Kavanagh, sir. I know your wife is friends with her."

That fucking bitch. I can't believe she would betray Ana like this. That bitch stays in our house, takes over Ana's wedding and has the audacity to gossip about our private life to the Seattle Nooz. Well, I've got news for her. You do not cross Christian Grey and get away with it.

* * *

After a long day at the office, the last thing I want to do is tell Ana the news that her best friend stabbed her in the back.

Taylor takes me home, and I open the front door to a welcome sight and scent. My wife, barefoot, but not yet pregnant is in the kitchen pulling a batch of her famous chocolate chip cookies out of the oven. She must be in a good mood, and now I'm just about to drop a bomb on her.

"Hi, baby," she greets me, shoving a plate of warm cookies in my face, "You came at the perfect time."

I take two cookies and ask, "What's got you in such a good mood?"

"Tamara called me today. She wants me to come to her atelier in New York tomorrow to see the progress on my dress. And she wants to show me the ropes if you will."

"I'm so proud of you, baby." I lean in to give her a kiss with a face full of cookie crumbs, causing her to giggle. "What are you going to do about school?"

"I'm sure they won't miss me for a day."

"You're leaning towards dropping out, aren't you?"

"We'll see. Tamara wants to help me sort out ideas for my first collection. So, based off how well that goes… And I can speak to the dean. Maybe I could complete my degree with online classes."

"That's definitely a possibility, but you might be underestimating how much time you're going to have once you start a business."

"True. It's still all up in the air for now. We don't have to make any big, life-changing decisions now. But enough about me. How was your day, baby?" She baits me with another cookie that I gladly take.

I guess now's a good as time as ever. "It wasn't the best, baby. Barney found out the source of the leak."

"Who was it?" she asks cautiously.

"Look, Ana. I don't want to stress you out…"

She cuts me off, "Who?"

"Kate."

"Kate? No. That must be a mistake." Her body is shaking like a leaf.

I rest my hand on her shoulder to steady her. "Ana…"

"No. She wouldn't do that to me. No matter how mad she was." I lone tear rolls down her cheek, and she wipes it away as quick as she can.

"Ana, baby. Barney confirmed it. I'm so sorry."

"I'm going to go upstairs." She brushes my hand off her and runs upstairs.

* * *

I give her a few minutes to cool off, expecting she'd put on a happy face and come back downstairs. But she doesn't, so I decide to check on her.

She's in our bedroom with her face buried in a pillow, silently sobbing. I sit on the edge of the bed and rub circles on her back to soothe her.

"Why would she do something like this?" she cries, "Talking to the press? That's so unlike her."

"I don't know why she did what she did," I reply honestly.

"We were best friends since we were kids. I don't understand. What changed? Did I change? Was I a shitty friend?"

"Don't blame yourself for this. She's in the wrong here, not you."

"I just feel so upset and angry and sad. I feel like I lost a best friend."

"I'm sorry, baby. I don't know how to fix this."

She sits up and cracks a smile. "Despite what you think, you don't have the power to fix all my problems."

"But I do have the power to destroy lives."

"Christian, please don't do anything too drastic. I think me cutting her out of my life will be enough."

"Are you sure? I can have the dean of Brown expel her."

"And have her try to expose more of my secrets? I don't think so, but thanks for trying to be my white night."

"I like to think of myself as the dark knight. And Sawyer will be accompanying you in New York."

"Like I'd expect anything less, Mr. Grey."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Mrs. Grey," Sawyer greets me. Wow, I think that's the first time someone other than Christian has called me that, and the thought makes me smile.

"Hi Sawyer," I smile, and he gives me a stunned look. "What?" I laugh.

"Sorry, ma'am. I mean, Mrs. Grey. It's just that was the first time you didn't argue with me about formalities."

"Huh, I guess so." He opens the back seat car door for me, and we're off to the airport.

* * *

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** New York

 **Date:** January 25, 2011: 07:08

 **To:** Anastasia Grey

Mrs. Grey,

I trust you'll have fun gallivanting around the Big Apple. I hope all goes well with Tamara. And remember, stay close to Sawyer.

I love you.

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

P.S. Should I warn Madison Avenue before your arrival?

* * *

 **From:** Anastasia Grey

 **Subject:** New York

 **Date:** January 25, 2011: 07:15

 **To:** Christian Grey

Mr. Grey,

I just landed in New York. And don't worry, Sawyer will be a permanent fixture by my side.

However, I didn't realize you were so invested in my shopping habits. I do have your black Amex, so I'll make sure to do some major damage.

Now stop bothering me. This is a serious working day.

And… I love you more.

Anastasia Grey

* * *

"Oh, Ana. It's so good to see you again," Tamara greets me outside her boutique on Madison Avenue, "Or should I say, Mrs. Grey? You're so sneaky!"

"Please, just Ana," I laugh.

"And who's the hunk?" she giggles, pointing at Sawyer behind me.

"This is Sawyer. He's my security."

"I'm surprised your husband allows a hunk like that to follow you around. If I didn't have a boyfriend, I'd be all over him."

"Do I have to warn Michael?" I joke.

"It won't be necessary, but a girl can dream. Come on, I want to show you the dress."

* * *

She takes me upstairs to her workshop. There are dozens of men and women working, hand sewing intricate designs for the label's upcoming fall collection.

"I only have a select few working on your dress. It's very secretive around here. You won't have to worry about any leaks."

She opens another door where there are two seamstresses, each one working on a different dress.

"You're doing two dresses?"

"Of course! They're similar in look but are very different stylistically. That way you'll have options. And whichever one you choose, we can auction off the other for charity. Or you can keep them both – a sentimental piece, unless you're planning to ever get married again."

"No," I chuckle, "This is the first and only time I'll be getting married."

My eye is immediately drawn to the massive, structured ball gown. "This is beautiful," I muse.

"That one's my favorite, too. Here," she says handing me an open sketchpad, "This is what the finished design is supposed to look like." She flips the page to show me the other one. "This one is stunning too, but I have to say, I'm partial to the other one."

"I love them both," I admit.

"Once you try them on, you'll figure out which one is for you. We've been working day and night to try to expedite the dresses. We want to be able to have enough time for the fittings and alterations. And I took the liberty of hand-sewing you a veil. I hope you don't mind."

"Are you kidding? Of course, I don't mind. And to be honest, I forgot about that little detail."

"That's what I'm here for."

* * *

After Tamara shows me the whole atelier, we decide to do a little shopping on my favorite fashion blocks in the city: Madison and 5th Avenue.

Our first stop is Bergdorf Goodman, where Tamara takes great pleasure in turning me into her own personal Barbie doll. After encouraging me to buy what seemed like more than half of the store, poor Sawyer is stuck holding all our bags.

The next stop is Louis Vuitton, where we're greeted by the overeager manager. Someone must have tipped off to stores that a big customer was on a shopping terror in the city.

We're given the same treatment at all the other stores we visit – Chanel, Burberry, Dior, Saint Laurent, Gucci, Prada, Armani, Ralph Lauren, Chloé, Valentino, Céline, Christian Louboutin, and Hermès.

Finally, after the exhausting of walking and trying on clothes, I suggest, "Why don't we get some lunch. I'm starving."

"Jeez, I was waiting for you to ask me that. I didn't know how much longer I could've gone in these heels."

"How about Le Bernardin?"

"You can get a reservation with this short a notice?!"

"Let me call Christian."

He picks up on the first ring, sounding anxious. "Hey, baby. Is something wrong?"

I hear whispers in the background noise. "I'm fine Christian. Where are you right now?"

"A meeting."

"Oh, I don't want to bother you. I'll call you later."

"No, it's okay. Don't worry about it. What do you need."

"Tamara and I were hoping to get a table at Le Bernardin in fifteen minutes. Can you make it happen?"

"I'll get Andrea on it. I really do need to go now. Love you, baby."

"Love you too."

I put my phone back in my purse and give the thumbs up to Tamara.

"We should be good to go," I smile.

"I love hanging out with you, girl."

* * *

Tamara and I are now sitting at Le Bernardin's best table, courtesy of my wonderful husband. Sawyer is at an adjacent table, watching me like a hawk, despite being seated among New York's elite. We're eating a delicious lunch consisting of caviar, oysters, lobster, scallops, and lots of wine.

"So how'd you and Christian meet?" Tamara asks me a little tipsy from the wine.

"In high school actually," I smile.

"Awe, how romantic – high school sweethearts. And he's supportive of you getting into the fashion industry. I know plenty of men who are absolute control freaks. They don't want their wives anywhere but at home – a trophy on their shelf."

"Christian's different. He's super supportive of me. He's actually the one who got me to think about designing as a job."

"Good, I'm glad. Because I was talking to Michael, and we want to put the full force of our label behind you."

"Wow, thank you… That's just… Wow. I don't know what to say."

"Absolutely nothing. You deserve it. But I do need to talk to you about your time commitment. I understand you're still in college."

"That can be dealt with," I say eagerly.

"Good. I'm not going to lie. Getting noticed in the over-inundated fashion industry will be hard. But I think you can do it with time and dedication."

* * *

 **The Boston Herald**

Spotted – the newly anointed Anastasia Grey in the Big Apple with fashion designer Tamara Ralph of Ralph & Russo. This morning, the two were seen in high-end stores across the city, being trailed by Mrs. Grey's personal security who seemed to have been turned into a glorified bag holder.

Mrs. Grey was on a shopping terror around the city, dropping hundreds of thousands at select boutiques on both Madison and 5th Avenue. A fellow customer at Louis Vuitton heard that Mrs. Grey spent $70,000 on luggage and purses. An employee at Bergdorf Goodman confirmed that she spent $100,000 on clothes alone. Another employee at Christian Louboutin confirmed that Mrs. Grey purchased the entirety of the brand's new collection but would not tell us how much she spent. We reached out to all the other stores Mrs. Grey was seen at, but they refused to comment on Mrs. Grey's private details.

The pair were also seen having lunch at Le Bernardin, where lunch costs upwards of $150 per person.

As of now, neither Anastasia or Christian have confirmed the marriage rumors, but they are undeniably true from the marriage license they received from the city of Boston. In addition, Anastasia was photographed wearing a diamond wedding band beside her stunning engagement ring. To add fuel to the flame, Mr. Christian Grey was spotted back in Boston wearing a platinum wedding band. It's safe to say that these two lovebirds took the plunge.

It is still unknown if the pair signed a prenup, but judging from Mrs. Grey's inheritance and Mr. Grey's net worth, a prenup would be customary with their financial situation.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Taylor! Get in here now," I scream through the intercom.

"Yes, Mr. Grey."

"How the hell is the Boston Herald finding out how much Ana is spending. And why didn't Sawyer give these damn employees NDA's?"

"It's not protocol, sir."

"Well then make it protocol," I say, irate.

"Will do, sir."

* * *

"Mr. Grey," Andrea says, popping her head through the door, "Ms. Bailey is here. You had an appointment."

"Thanks, Andrea," I dismiss her. "Taylor, before you go. I need another hire for my wife's security team. I don't want Sawyer seen as her butler. Get me some resumes by the end of the day."

"Yes, sir. Would you like me to inform Mrs. Grey?"

"No, I'll bring it up with her."

* * *

"Here are the numbers," Ros says, handing me a folder.

"So what you're telling me is developing this technology from the ground up would be a bad investment."

"In short, yes. There's a company in Seattle that has already developed the proprietary technology for solar-powered cell phones. Starting from scratch would be counterproductive. And the company yearly report indicates they're close to going under."

"The company's based in Seattle."

"Yes, but if we're looking to expand into the tech field, this is our best bet. And a big first step to the philanthropist sector of GEH."

"Providing technology to the third world will alleviate poverty."

"Exactly."

"We'll have to move the company west?" I ask.

"At the very least, open an office in Seattle or San Francisco. That's where all the tech startups are."

"Ana's still in college. I'm not uprooting our life here."

"If we don't make a move on this company, someone else will."

"Why don't we look into opening an office in Seattle first."

"Sure thing, boss. I'll have someone get the numbers on that. But we're going to need to be there to oversee the development. I wouldn't trust anyone else. Think about it. Talk to Ana. You might not have to be there five days out of the week. But I would say at least two or three days."

"I'll talk to her. But I'm fairly sure the answer's going to be no. Would you be opposed to relocating there."

"I wouldn't, but I'm not the CEO. You can't not be involved in this company's biggest investment to date."

"I get what you're saying Ros. I'll let you know tomorrow."

* * *

"How was New York, baby?" I ask, cuddled up with Ana in bed, "I saw Taylor and Sawyer lugging a slew of bags up to one of the spare bedrooms."

"I may have gone a little overboard, but the fashion scene in New York is the best in the country. It could rival Paris and Milan."

"Did you see that article in the Boston Herald."

"Yes, but I wasn't too bothered my it. They didn't say anything bad about me. Just idle gossip."

"I don't want your spending habits broadcasted for the world to see."

"I understand, but there's nothing we can really do about. Can we?"

"I'm going to have new protocol instated. Anyone who is going to be in direct contact with you is going to have to sign an NDA."

"Christian Trevelyan-Grey, that's ridiculous."

"Ana, the next time it might not be as trivial as how much you spent at Louis Vuitton. But even so, it's no one's business how we choose to spend our money. You won't even have to deal with the NDA's. Sawyer will, and you won't even notice them."

"You're going to make everyone I talk to sign something? Do you realize how stupid that sounds?"

"It's not stupid. It's to prevent these dumb tabloids from posting mindless gossip that invades our privacy. That's why I'm enhancing your security detail."

"You're what?"

"I'm adding another guy to your security team. Sawyer's not enough, and I won't have people thinking he's just there to hold your shopping bags. The whole point of him is to prevent nut jobs from approaching you. I don't want him distracted!"

"You can't do these things without discussing it with me first."

"It's for your safety. You need another CPO. That's final."

"You know what," she screams, getting out of bed, "Screw you, Christian. Maybe you should talk to your wife before making decisions for her."

"Well, you know what," I raise my own voice, "You're my wife. And it's my goddamn job to make sure you're safe."

She ignores me and slams the door to our bedroom.

* * *

I find her in the kitchen commiserating over a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream. I sit next to her at the breakfast bar, and she rolls her eyes at me.

"Ana…"

"Save it, Christian. I had a really nice day today, and I'd like for it to stay that way."

"Anastasia…"

She gets up out of her seat, taking the ice cream with her to go sit on the living room couch, and I grovel.

"Baby, I don't want to fight."

"Then don't make unilateral decisions without informing me."

"Look, I'm sorry I didn't tell you first. But I'm not sorry that you need another CPO."

"Christian, I'm not important. I'm not Jerry or Karen. I don't need…"

I interrupt her, "Yes you do need. You're important whether you like it or not. I don't want some lunatic grabbing you off the street while Sawyer is busy holding your bags. Okay?"

I get up to leave, trying to make my point stick, but she grabs my arm.

"Christian, why didn't you run it by me first? I won't have you dictating terms to me. I won't let you walk all over me."

I sigh, "I'm sorry… I just. I had to do it."

"What's going on? Tell me."

"Nothing's going on. I just need you safe."

"I agreed to Sawyer only a week ago. And now you want to bring in another guy. Don't you think that's a bit excessive."

"Jerry has two guys on him at all times. And he has a covert agent too."

"That's because his father's the president."

"And you're my wife," I stress.

"I'm not seeing how those two are related."

"They're not. But I don't want to get a phone call demanding money for your return," I yell frantically.

"You've been watching too much TV," she brushes me off.

"No, Anastasia. I haven't. These things happen, and it worries me that you have such disregard for your safety."

"Don't you dare go there."

"Why won't you let it go."

"Maybe I'd be more agreeable if you spoke to me first!" She sighs and continues, "Look, I understand your reasoning for wanting another CPO for me. I agree with you. Sawyer was not properly able to defend me today unless you wanted him to fend off attackers with Chanel shopping bags." She giggles.

"Don't laugh, it's not funny," I try to say seriously, my lips breaking into a smile.

"What I'm trying to say is that… I think backup for Sawyer would have been useful. But, you have to talk to me first. We have nothing if we don't talk to each other."

I sink my head into her shoulder. It smells like roses and happiness. "I'm sorry. It won't happen again. I really don't know why I did it without informing you. I…"

"It's okay," she smiles, "I understand your need for ultimate control. But I'm your wife. Not your employee. I hate being dictated to."

"That's exactly why I fell in love with you," I smirk, my hand trailing up her thigh, under the hem of her slip.

"Oh, so you didn't fall in love with me for something else," she whispers, softly nibbling on my neck.

"No, but it certainly is a perk." I move her panties to the side and dip my fingers into her wetness.

"Ohhh, Christian," she gasps.

"You like that, baby?" I tease her, sliding down one of her tank top straps.

"You know I do."

I slowly slide another finger into her and curl my fingers to hit her g-spot.

She screams in ecstasy, "Fuck, Christian."

"That's a dirty mouth, Mrs. Grey."

"Are you trying to dictate what I say now?"

"I would never, Mrs. Grey." I continue fingering her and snake my other hand around her waist to grab her ass.

"Please, Christian," she begs.

She wraps her arms around my neck, pulling me closer to her. My lips find hers and I murmur, "Do you want to cum, sweetheart?"

"Yes. Please, Christian. Please."

My thumb finds her clit and I tease her again, "Beg."

"Please, Christian. Can I cum? Please."

I graze her nipple with my teeth, and she falls apart.

I give her time to recover from her orgasm then ask, "Do you want more."

She nods her head, and I quickly spin her around and bend her over the counter.

* * *

After making her cum three times over, I carry Ana back to our bed where she belongs.

"You know we could have woken Jerry up with the noise we were making," Ana giggles.

"You mean the noise you were making," I counter.

She scrunches her nose and sticks her tongue out at me.

"That's very childish, Anastasia," I laugh.

"Well, if you didn't do that thing with your tongue, maybe I wouldn't be so loud."

"You love that thing I do with my tongue. And Jerry sleeps like a log. I doubt he heard anything."

"I'm blaming you if he makes a dirty joke tomorrow morning."

"Again, childish."

"Oh, shut up and go to bed."

* * *

"Hey boss," Ros greets me the second I walk into the office, "Did you talk to Ana about the Seattle branch?"

"Fuck," I murmur to myself. With the mini-fight we had yesterday, I totally forgot about it. "Something came up last night," I tell Ros, "I forgot, but I'll speak to her tonight."

"No worries. But we're kind of on a deadline here. We want to get the acquisition contracts drawn out as soon as possible."

"Got it, Ros."

* * *

"And he comes highly recommended?"

"Yes, sir. Sawyer and Ryan served together in the army. Sawyer trusts him explicitly. As well as me."

"Mrs. Grey isn't exactly excited about the new edition, so I don't want any hiccups."

"I'll let Ryan know he's on a probationary period."

"Thanks Taylor. That will be all."

* * *

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Lunch plans?

 **Date:** January 26, 2011: 09:02

 **To:** Anastasia Grey

My dearest wife,

Can I persuade you to take a break from school and join me for a lunch date?

12:30 at Eataly?

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

* * *

 **From:** Anastasia Grey

 **Subject:** Hungry for something else…

 **Date:** January 26, 2011: 09:11

 **To:** Christian Grey

Maybe I could meet you at your office. I'm hungry, but not for food.

xoxo Ana Grey

* * *

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Tempting

 **Date:** January 26, 2011: 09:14

 **To:** Anastasia Grey

While your offer sounds all too tempting, there is actually something I need to discuss with you. I'll alert Sawyer that you're to meet me at 12:30.

There might be some time for dessert…

Christian Grey

Famished CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

* * *

 **From:** Anastasia Grey

 **Subject:** Bossy

 **Date:** January 26, 2011: 09:19

 **To:** Christian Grey

I'll see you there, Mr. Bossypants.

And I'm looking forward to dessert. Chocolate or Vanilla?

xx Ana

* * *

 **From:** Christian Grey

 **Subject:** Both

 **Date:** January 26, 2011: 09:22

 **To:** Anastasia Grey

A chocolate and vanilla swirl, perhaps?

Christian Grey

CEO, Grey Enterprises Holdings

* * *

"Hey, sorry I'm late," Ana apologizes as she sits down at the table, "I had to speak with the dean."

"What's going on?"

"You first," she says, snatching the wine glass out of my hand.

"You know how GEH is trying to get into technology?"

"Yeah. The solar-powered cell phones right?"

"Yes, we're looking to purchase the startup company."

"That's so exciting. Is this all about your world betterment campaign?"

"Partly. Bringing these phones to the undeveloped world could do wonders for economic growth. Environmental sustainability is also a huge net positive."

"How very noble of you. My own philanthropist," she smiles. "Oh, excuse me," she waves to the waitress, "Can we get another glass of wine?"

"Isn't it a little early to be drinking this much?" I chuckle.

"Trust me. I'm going to need it. I have a lot to tell you."

"Actually, so do I."

"Was that not your big news before?"

"It was part of it." Suddenly I start to feel nervous. She can't drop college to come to Seattle with me. This deal is also really important personally and for the business, so I don't want to walk away from it. But if Ana says no, I won't pursue it. She's more important to me than anything in the world. "The companies in Seattle," I finish.

"Okay…" she trails, begging me to elaborate.

"Ros thinks it would in the best interest if I was personally overseeing the development myself. She thinks I would need to be in Seattle at least three to five days out of the week."

"So you want to move back to Seattle?"

"Well… Yes."

"Okay."

Huh! "Ana, we have your college career to think about. I don't want to uproot your life and your studies. And I also know that you're working closely with Tamara on your fashion stuff. Isn't New York like the fashion mecca in the US. Boston is much closer than Seattle."

"Are you trying to talk yourself out of what sounds like an amazing business opportunity. Not to mention the societal benefits."

"Yes, but I want to think about what you want first. I could make it work and fly back and forth. But I won't get to see you. And I need you with me to function."

"What if I told you I was done with college?"

"What do you mean?" I question.

"I don't want to do school anymore. At least, not right now. That's actually what I was speaking with the dean about."

"Dropping out?"

"In a way. But I would call it more of putting college on hold for the time being. The dean said I could take a few online courses when time permits. I'd probably still have to take some classes at a university, but she said credits are easily transferred. And I'm pretty sure she wants to be able to add me to the list of Harvard's notable alumni. There's nothing like an heiress and a future billionaire's wife."

"You're sure about this? I know your father will be disappointed. And we'll be leaving Jerry all alone in that big house."

"My father will get over it eventually. And I'm not dropping college forever. Just putting it on the shelf for the time being. I really want to focus on fashion right now. And Jerry can always visit us. He's always so busy studying anyways. I'm sure he won't miss us too much."

"Are you sure you're sure? Moving back to Seattle? It's a trek to New York."

"LA has an amazing fashion scene too. And it's not too far a flight from Seattle. I think Ralph & Russo has a boutique in Los Angeles. If not, I'll be sure to convince her to open one there. Plus, I could use the sun."

"So we're doing this?"

"Yeah, we're doing this."


	24. Kate

**Chapter 21 - Kate**

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Hey, Annie," my dad greets me.

"Hey, daddy. Are you busy right now?" I ask, putting my cell on speakerphone.

"I'm never too busy for you. What's up?"

"Christian and I have some news for you."

"Good lord! Please tell me you're not pregnant."

Christian chuckles, "Not yet," and I elbow him in the gut.

"I'm not pregnant, daddy. No grandchildren yet."

"You better get working on that soon. I'm not getting any younger, you know."

"Not you too," I huff, "Christian already has baby fever."

"Good man."

"Anyways, daddy. We actually have something to share with you that doesn't involve my uterus… We're moving back to Seattle."

He's silent for a few moments before replying, "So now my daughter and son-in-law will be college dropouts."

"I'm not dropping out," I say matter-of-factly, "I'm going to take online classes on my own time. You're not upset, are you?"

Christian holds my hand for moral support.

"I can't say I'm happy. But I know I can't stop you from making your own decisions. You're an adult, and I trust you. However, I hope you have something in mind that you want to do with your time. I don't want my daughter to be a glorified trophy wife. No offense to you, Christian."

"None taken, sir. But Ana's much too driven to do nothing with her life."

"Tell him, baby," he whispers into my ear.

"Daddy, you know how Ralph & Russo are designing my wedding dress?"

"Yes."

"Well, I've been working with Tamara Ralph on my very own fashion line. So, I think I'm going to make fashion my career."

"Wow, Annie. Then it looks like you've gotten everything figured out already. I'm proud of you... for blazing your own trail."

"As am I, Mr. Steele. You should see some of her sketches. They're amazing. Expect to be getting an invite to New York Fashion Week."

"I don't think that's my type of scene, but I'm looking forward to seeing some of your work, Annie."

"I'll email you some pictures, dad."

"Good. Now, are you two going to move back into Ana's apartment. Or were you looking for something bigger?"

"My apartment," I say.

"Something bigger," Christian replies.

"You two kids might need to have a conversation."

I furrow my brows at him. "Yeah, it looks like we'll need to talk about our living arrangements. But I don't want to keep you for too long, daddy. You must have to get back to work. Bye, I love you."

"Bye, Ray," Christian says.

"Bye kids."

I hang up the phone and turn to Christian. "Why would we need a bigger place? Isn't my penthouse fine?"

"There's no room for the staff."

"Staff?"

"Taylor, Sawyer, the other guy I hired for you. That reminds me, he's starting tomorrow. His name's Ryan."

Ugh, he had to bring that up now?

"Why would we need room for the staff?"

"They're going to be staying with us."

"So now we need 24/7 security?"

"Frankly, yes. And if I'm going to ask Taylor, Sawyer, and Ryan to relocate to Seattle, the least we can do is give them a place to stay."

"So all three of them are going to be staying with us?"

"I think just Taylor and Sawyer. I don't trust Ryan yet. But I'll rent a place for him."

"Were you thinking of buying a house?"

"No, I don't think we need that much space. But I was thinking of the executive penthouse at Escala."

"That's like triple the size of my old apartment!"

He nods. "I think it will be good for us. The staff can have their own wing. We wouldn't even notice them."

"When we have a baby, we're getting a house. No more bachelor penthouses for you."

"Who has the baby fever now?"

"Oh, shut up… Would it be okay if I hired a housekeeper? I might not have time to clean up after you anymore."

"That's a perfect idea. Maybe one that can cook too."

"Tired of my cooking already, Grey?"

"Never, but I definitely noticed the increase in takeout boxes over the last couple of weeks."

"You're right, I have been getting somewhat lazy… Jerry's going to miss us."

"We can designate a room for him. He's welcome anytime."

"At least we'll be closer to your parents. And Mia."

"How lovely," he says sarcastically.

"Christian Grey! You're so bad."

"I thought you liked when I was bad," he smirks.

"Why do all our conversations turn into something dirty?" I laugh.

"That's the sign of a healthy relationship, baby," he says, untying the bow on my wrap dress, completely exposing me.

He presses his lips against my neck, and I shudder. "Just fuck me already."

"Gladly, Mrs. Grey."

* * *

"You're so late for work now," I smile, retying my dress and fixing my hair.

Christian smirks, buttoning his pants, "I think I can afford to play hooky for a little longer."

"You're cute… But don't you have to finalize plans for the Seattle office?"

"I guess so…" he pouts, "But I'd much rather go another round."

I give him a final kiss before handing him his suit jacket. "Where's Taylor?"

"Downstairs, waiting in the car."

"Go," I insist, "The sooner you do the sooner we can move back home. Which reminds me, I'll call your mom today and tell her the good news." I practically have to push him into the elevator.

"Good idea, baby. Love you! Bye!"

* * *

After making myself pancakes for breakfast, I call Grace.

"Hello, dear. What a pleasant surprise," she greets me.

"Hi, Grace. How are you?"

"I'm well, dear. Actually, I have to ask you something."

"Go ahead."

"Did Christian talk to his father recently? I told Carrick he needed to call his son and apologize, but he said Christian wasn't taking his calls."

"He didn't mention anything, but I can ask him when he gets home."

"Oh, thank you, darling. I know Carrick has been difficult recently, but we're still family. I can't stand them not talking to each other… Oh, I'm sorry, dear. Did you need something?"

"No, but I just wanted to share some good news with you. Christian and I are planning to move back to Seattle."

She gasps, "Oh, how wonderful! We've all missed both of you terribly. But you especially, dear. Why the sudden change of scenery though?"

"GEH is investing in a tech company based in Seattle, so Christian has to oversee operations over there. GEH is also expanding, so we're opening a Seattle office."

"But what about college, dear? I hope my college dropout son isn't encouraging you to do the same."

"Quite the contrary, actually. He was the one encouraging me to finish at Harvard. I don't know if you've heard, but I'm investing my time into creating a fashion line."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea. Do you have any designs yet?"

"So far just sketches."

"Oh, I have to see them."

"I'll send you copies."

"Perfect… Oh, Ana. I'm so happy you're coming back. Would you be opposed to staying with us? I'll have two of my kids back!"

"As much as I would love that… I think Christian has other ideas. He wants to buy the executive penthouse at Escala. And your crazy son wants to have security live with us."

"That sure sounds like Christian."

"Yeah," I giggle, "It sure does."

"Well, the least you can do is come over for Sunday dinner. Mia will be over the moon to not have to talk to mom and dad all night."

"Of course, we'll be there. Oh, and before I forget, Christian and I were looking to hire a housekeeper who can also cook. Would you happen to know anyone?"

"I'll send you the number for the company I use. I'm sure you'll be able to find someone suitable."

"Thanks, Grace. That will save me so much time trying to find someone trustworthy."

"No problem, dear. When do you think you'll move back by? I want to throw you guys an engagement party. But seeing as you're already married, that might be too late."

"We were thinking of moving next week. And as for the engagement party… It would be lovely. There's still a long time until the big wedding. I think we could use some celebration."

"I love how you think, Ana. I'll start the preparations right away."

"Sounds good, Grace. I'll talk to you soon?"

"Yes, bye, dear."

"Bye, Grace."

Talking to Grace makes me wish I had that with my own mother. Oh well, enough of the pity party…

I spend the next few hours working on designs and sketches until it's time for lunch. I text Jerry to see if he wants to grab a bite, but he says he's stuck in a study group for his government class. And I can't call Christian because I don't want to bother him at work. I made him two hours late this morning. I need to let him do his job and be master of the universe.

I could cook, but I'm just too tired. I guess it'll be me and Sawyer today.

* * *

I run upstairs to fetch a coat and some shoes when my phone starts to ring. I ignore it to put on my nude Louboutins and Burberry trench coat when it rings again.

It's Kate. What the fuck?! I hit decline, and feel satisfied as I pick up a red Birkin bag and toss my phone into it.

But to my dismay, it rings again. Oh, what the hell…

"Yes?" I say with venom in my voice.

"Oh, Ana. Oh, Ana. I'm so glad you picked up," she shouts frantically.

"What's wrong?" I say in a softer tone. She doesn't sound well. Is she in danger?

"Ana, I'm so so sorry I was such a bitch before. I promise I won't try to take over your wedding. And I'm sorry I stormed out and was rude to Christian."

"Are you sorry for leaking that Christian and I were already married to the press?"

"What?" she says flabbergasted, "How did you… Ana…"

"It's nice to know I have friends that I can trust."

"Ana, please. I'm so sorry. I wasn't thinking right. I was just so upset. Please, you have to forgive me."

"Why should I?"

"Because I really need you right now. I really need a friend. Please. You can't abandon me now."

"Kate, what's going on?"

"I'm pregnant, Ana. And I got kicked out of Brown, and my parents cut me off. Please, you have to help me."

A part of me wants to turn her away and tell her to go to hell. But we've been friends for life. As much as I want to tell her to fuck off, I can't. I have to help her and her innocent child.

"Kate, where are you right now?"

"I'm at the train station. I'm waiting for the next train to Boston."

"Okay, please tell me when you're arriving. I'll pick you up okay?"

It sounds like she's sobbing over the phone. "Hey, Kate. It's okay. We'll get through this."

"Thank you, Ana."

Now, I have to tell Christian. He's not going to react well.

* * *

When I step outside into the brisk air, Sawyer is waiting outside the townhouse with one of Jerry's agents who is assigned to the house at all times.

"Mrs. Grey," he greets me, "Where to?"

"Hi, Sawyer. Eataly for a salad then the train station please."

"Of course, ma'am." He opens the car door for me then gets in the driver's seat.

"Mrs. Grey, may I ask why we're going to the train station? I wasn't aware anyone was visiting. Mr. Grey didn't mention anything."

"It's very last minute. Mr. Grey doesn't know yet, but we're picking up Kate Kavanagh."

"Umm, Mrs. Grey, Mr. Grey informed Taylor and me that we were to keep you away from her at all costs."

"Oh, my husband's rather dramatic. She sort of betrayed my trust, but she's in a predicament. I really need to do this for her. And I would appreciate it if you let me tell Mr. Grey."

"I really shouldn't keep things from Mr. Grey, Mrs. Grey."

"Oh, please. Christian's not going to fire you. Ease up."

"I wouldn't put it past him, Mrs. Grey."

"Don't worry. I'll vouch for you. He'll get over his grouchiness in a day or two. Don't worry, Sawyer…" I then try to change the subject, "So, I hear you're getting a new partner tomorrow?"

"Yes, ma'am. His name's Ryan."

"Is that his first or last name?"

"His last name, ma'am."

"Is having two first names a necessity for being a CPO?" I laugh.

I see Sawyer break a smile. "Matthew Ryan is his full name."

"Do you really think another CPO is necessary, Sawyer?"

"In my professional opinion, yes. Frankly, I'd put three guys on you."

"You're even crazier than Christian."

"In all honesty, Mr. Grey is worth quite a lot of money. And with all the threats he's been getting…"

"Threats?" I question.

Sawyer looks like he just revealed something he shouldn't have.

"Um, yes ma'am."

"Please don't tell Christian that. Because he just might be crazy enough to hire another one of you."

He nods.

It looks like I have to talk to Christian about keeping things from me. And about my own safety. This is definitely why he was so insistent on another CPO for me.

* * *

After having a nice lunch by myself, I get a text from Kate saying she'll be arriving at the train station in twenty minutes.

With Sawyer by my side, we exit the restaurant. Along the way, I see people trying to conceal the fact that they're taking pictures of me. They are just way too obvious. If you're going to try to take a photo of me, don't laugh and point in my direction. Idiots.

"Mrs. Grey," Sawyer gets my attention, "We need to move fast. I don't feel comfortable with all these eyes on you."

Oh, the joys of being Mrs. Anastasia Grey.

* * *

"She should be arriving any minute, Sawyer. Sorry for making you wait." Sawyer and I are currently waiting for Kate to arrive at the train station.

"It's really no problem, Mrs. Grey."

"I assume my husband told you about our move to Seattle."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And you're okay relocating?"

"Of course, ma'am."

"Sawyer, if you ma'am me one more time I'm throwing you out of this car."

"Sorry, Mrs. Grey. Force of habit."

"Do you have family in Boston?"

"No. My parents live in New Jersey. And my younger brother is in the Air Force. He's currently stationed in Germany."

"You must miss him."

"All a part of the job, Mrs. Grey."

* * *

A few minutes later, Kate comes running to the car with only a duffle bag in hand. She looks like a complete mess.

"Oh, Ana. Thank God you're here." She barrels towards me, crushing me in a hug. "I'm so sorry about the Nooz, I wasn't thinking right."

"It's okay, Kate," I try to soothe her, "All that matters right now is that little baby."

"I can't do it, Ana. I can't be pregnant. It would be such an embarrassment. My family will be mortified."

Is she saying what I think she's saying? "So you want an abortion?"

"Yes, Ana. There's no way I'm having this baby."

"Kate, are you sure? You should take some time to think if this is what you really want. Also, have you seen a doctor? It could be a false positive."

"I saw a doctor, Ana. I'm really pregnant."

"Kate, having an abortion isn't a decision you should make so rashly. Have you talked to the baby's father? Do you even know who he is?"

She doesn't respond.

"Well?" I press.

"It was a drunken mistake. I never should have slept with him."

"Do you remember his name?"

"Yes, but we were both drunk out of our minds. I was at a frat party. The Yale football team was there. They had just played Brown in the afternoon. And… And I met this guy. Super hot, blonde, tall, sweet talker. We were talking then next thing you know we were in bed together. And we… We forgot the condom."

No, no, no. It can't be. Yale football team. Blonde, tall, a womanizer… Please, not Christian's brother. Anyone but Elliot.

"His name's Elliot."

And our lives just got a whole lot more complicated.

"Kate, did you happen to get his last name?"

"No, I didn't."

"And you're sure his name was Elliot?"

"I'm positive."

"Kate, you can't get an abortion without talking to him first."

"Why not?"

"Because Elliot is Christian's brother."

* * *

I bring Kate back home and get her settled into one of the spare bedrooms. I know I'm in for an earful when Christian comes home.

I still abhor the shit she's done to me, but I can't abandon her now. That baby in there is Christian's family. My future niece or nephew.

"Kate, do you want anything to eat?" I ask her. She's consoling a pillow in her room.

"Yes, please," she says in a weak voice.

"How does mac & cheese sound?"

"Good."

Hopefully, Christian's favorite meal will calm him down when he sees Kate here.

* * *

"What the hell, Anastasia?" Christian screams in a whisper at me, "Why is she in our house?"

"Christian, if you would just please let me explain."

"Go ahead," he scoffs.

"Hey, don't you dare take that tone with me. I know she betrayed us. Me. But she has a problem. And it concerns you too."

"Why would any of her problems concern me?"

"She's pregnant, Christian. It's Elliot's."

"What? How the fuck? How the hell does she even know Elliot? And for goodness sake, he couldn't remember to wrap it up?"

"It happened at a frat party after the Yale vs. Brown football game. You need to talk to Elliot. Kate wants to get an abortion."

"Like hell she is. She can't legally get an abortion without the father's consent. Can she?"

"I don't know Christian. I'm not a lawyer."

"I'll call one of my guys at work. And she needs to tell Elliot now. Or I will."

"Christian, give her some time," I argue, "She's still in shock. I don't think she'll want the abortion once she's had time to cope with the pregnancy. Give her some time."

"Fine," he pouts, "But if she doesn't tell Elliot by the end of the week. I will. He deserves to know he's going to be a father."

"I agree with you. I told her she needed to let Elliot know. That's the least she could do. But do you think Elliot would want this baby? He's…"

"Irresponsible, immature, and a flake." he finishes my sentence.

"Exactly."

"I don't know, baby. But knowing Elliot, I think he'd want to know his son or daughter."

"He or she is going to be your niece or nephew."

He laughs softly, "I thought we'd be the first one in the family to give Grace some grandchildren."

"Looks like Elliot stole your thunder," I manage to smile.

"We better get working on that soon," Christian says in a husky voice.

Christian's attempts to subdue me are cut short by the oven alarm going off.

"Oh, that's the mac & cheese!"

* * *

Kate didn't want to get out of bed, so I had to bring her dinner. Christian and I are now sitting alone at the very large dinner table.

"Where's Jerry?" Christian asks, making conversation.

"I think stuck in a study group."

"You think I could convince him to work for me?"

"Not a chance in hell," I chuckle, "A future president working for you. Funny."

"I'll have to tell him to run for Congress in Seattle."

"What? Don't want to give up your bromance?" I joke.

"Something like that…"

"I don't think senators or congressmen from the state of Washington are ever real contenders for the presidency."

"That's a point well taken."

"He'll need to run in a big state. I bet you he follows in his father's footsteps. He'll run for the House or for the Senate in California. Then governor, or maybe straight to the White House."

"Planning world domination already?"

"Maybe one of our kids will be interested in politics one day. Uncle Fitz would be proud. You know, he was always hoping Karen would carry on the family name. He wanted her to become the first female president. But she hates politics. So much for his dreams."

"If we had a daughter, she'd rule the world."

"If we had a daughter, you'd lock her up until she was thirty."

"You know me so well."

After our meal, I grab pints of Ben & Jerry's ice cream for dessert.

"I'm going to offer some to Kate. Nothing like a little ice cream can't fix, right?"

Christian rolls his eyes at me.

* * *

I quietly knock on Kate's door as to not startle her.

"Kate honey. Do you want some ice cream?"

She doesn't answer, so I open the door to find her sound asleep with an empty bowl next to her.

I pick up the dirty dish and go back downstairs.

"She's sleeping," I saw in a whisper to Christian. "We should be quiet."

"If you say so," he rolls his eyes again.

"You know rolling your eyes is grounds for punishment," I smirk with a devilish grin.

"I thought you said we had to be quiet."

"Good point. We can save the punishment for later."

* * *

"So Ryan's starting tomorrow," Christian comments during a commercial break from Project Runway.

That reminds me about what Sawyer let slip to me today. I have to confront Christian.

"Yeah, about that… Tell me the truth Christian. Have there been threats?"

"What?" he says in an unconvincing tone, "Ana, where did you get that idea?"

"Christian," I say sternly, "You know I hate when you keep things from me. Why else would you suddenly feel compelled to hire another CPO? There has to be a reason."

"Ana, I don't want you to worry."

"Withholding information about my own safety makes me worry even more. Tell me," I coax.

"You really want to know?"

"Yes," I insist.

"Okay, there have been kidnapping threats sent to my office. And I freaked out, okay."

I give him a tender kiss on the cheek, "You can't keep things like this from me."

"I'm sorry," he apologizes, "I just didn't want to stress you out. I know there is so much going on in our lives right now. The move, your fashion line, the wedding."

"I'm not going to break."

"I don't want to take the chance."

* * *

Christian went to his study to finish up some work, so I decide to go check on Kate again.

She's awake this time, cuddling her pillow with dry tears stained on her face.

"Hey, how are you doing?" I ask her.

"I can't tell him, Ana. I can't…" she cries hysterically.

"He deserves to know, Kate."

"What if he wants this baby, Ana? What then?"

"Do you not want this baby?"

"I can't, Ana. I mean, look at me. I'm not ready to be a mother. I can't even get my own life together. How am I supposed to take care of a child?"

"If Elliot wants the baby, you can't get an abortion, Kate. That's so wrong."

"Don't you think I know that, Ana? But if he doesn't want it?"

"There are options other than abortion. So many families that can't have children are dying to adopt. Look at Elliot, Christian, and Mia. They were all adopted. Grace and Carrick couldn't have children of their own. When they adopted Elliot, they were so happy. And when they adopted Christian and Mia, is was like their whole world was complete and full of love and happiness. Think about it. You could bring another family that much joy from the gift of a child."

"And if I still wanted the abortion… Would you support me?"

"No," I tell her honestly, "I can't support that. That baby in there is my future niece or nephew. I'm not going to sit there and watch you kill it."

"Ana, please…"

"Kate, I recognize your right to choose. But morally… I can't support you. It's wrong." I pause, "Look, you need to talk to Elliot before making any decisions."

She looks at me like a sad, lost puppy. I rub her shoulder to soothe her and leave her be, giving her some more time to think things through.

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"I don't give a fuck if you're busy, Elliot," I scream into my phone, "You need to come to Boston. It's important."

"What the hell is this about, bro?"

"I can't tell you right now. But what I can tell you is that you have to come to Boston. And I wasn't asking."

"Oh, give me a break Christian," Elliot scoffs, "Just because you're some hotshot CEO doesn't mean you can order me around. I'm your brother, not your employee. And if I recall correctly, I am older than you."

"Elliot, I don't give a fuck. It's important for you to be here. I wouldn't be telling you to drop everything and come to Boston if it wasn't," I scream.

"So are mom and dad coming too?"

"Why would they be?"

"Well, this is a family matter, isn't it?"

"This is a family matter only pertaining to you and your promiscuity."

"What are you insinuating?"

"Nothing, Elliot. Just get your ass here by tomorrow. I'll send a jet. Wheels up at 7 am. Don't be late."

"You know what Christian…"

I end the call before he can finish his sentence. Fucking exasperating, that imbecile. First he makes the mistake of going for a whore like Kate Kavanagh. Then, he forgets to wrap it up and gets the girl pregnant.

I hear a soft knock on the door, and Ana comes in with a cup of tea for me.

"Talking to Elliot?" she asks.

"Yeah, I'm trying to get him to come here. I don't know if he will."

"You sounded pretty commandeering to me. I bet he'll be on that jet by morning."

She comes to sit in my lap.

"How could he be so stupid? How could they be so stupid to do something this reckless?" he asks, tenderly caressing my face, "An innocent child doesn't deserve to be born into this mess."

"I don't think Kate wants the baby," she whispers.

"I already had that one figured out."

"I really hope Elliot wants to keep it."

"I hope so to," I say, pulling her into a hug.

* * *

"Sir," Taylor alerts me on our way to the office, "I got word from Stephan, the pilot. Elliot showed up at the tarmac a few minutes ago. The plane is set to depart soon. They'll arrive within the hour."

Finally, Elliot listens to something I tell him to do.

"Would you like to pick him up yourself, or should I send a member of the security team to fetch him?" Taylor asks.

"We'll go get him, Taylor."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Kate hasn't gotten out of bed since she arrived yesterday, and I'm really concerned about her mental state right now.

I decide to bring her a full plate of breakfast consisting of pancakes, eggs, bacon, toast, and some fresh fruit. Maybe that will cheer her up.

"Hi, Kate," I say, entering her room, "I brought you breakfast." She doesn't look like she wants to take the plate, so I set it down on the nightstand.

"Come on," I try to coerce her out of bed, "Let's get you dressed and ready for the day."

"I just want to stay in bed, Ana," she whines.

"Katherine, please. Get out of bed. Elliot's flying in today, and you can't look like a mess when he arrives."

"What? Why is he coming?"

"So you can tell him about the baby, obviously."

"I thought I was going to call him, Ana. I don't want to have this conversation face to face. We don't even know each other. It was just a one night stand."

"Kate, he's Christian's brother. This baby is my family too. And if you don't want to tell him about the baby, I will."

"Ugh," she whines again, "This is so embarrassing, Ana."

"I'll be there for you when you tell him, okay?" I try to soothe her by placing my hand on top of hers. "Everything will be just fine."

Or so I thought.


	25. Growing Up and Moving On

**A/N:** Hey guys! I usually don't write long author's notes, but I feel like it's warranted right now. I understand many of you on my last chapter were upset because Ana told Kate she wouldn't support her if she got an abortion. And while I don't want to get into the abortion debate, I do want to clear some things up.

Ana isn't saying that Kate can't get an abortion. The Ana I've written doesn't think abortion is right, but that doesn't mean she is trying to prevent Kate from getting an abortion. What Ana is trying to do is to get Kate to think about it. She doesn't want Kate to make a decision she would regret. Also, Ana is trying to get Kate to think of other options like adoption. Additionally, in my story, Ana is very close to Grace, who couldn't have children of her own. So, I think Ana would be much more inclined to tell Kate to think about adoption out of sympathy for her mother-in-law.

I also wrote about adoption because it's something personal to me. My older sister can't have kids, and she and her husband have been on the waiting list for almost a year to adopt a baby. It's been really hard for them, so while I acknowledge how hard it is to be pregnant, I do wish more people would choose adoption over abortion.

Thank you for all your reviews, but I just wanted to clarify Ana's position. So to sum it all up, Ana is personally against abortion but is in no way trying to stop Kate from getting one if that's what she ultimately decides. Ana is just trying to give Kate alternatives and wants to give her more time so she doesn't make a rash decision.

With all that said, there is something else I wanted to let you guys know. I was thinking about doing some outtakes for this story. I was re-reading some of the earlier chapters, and some ideas came to mind. Let me know if you guys would be interested in reading!

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

* * *

 **Chapter 22 - Growing Up and Moving On**

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Mr. Grey, your brother's rights are very limited in this situation. Since they're not married, he doesn't have any legal rights to this baby. Miss Kavanagh can get an abortion without notifying him. And if she chooses to have the child, Elliot isn't guaranteed to be a part of their life. Another thing though, Mr. Grey. Are we certain of the baby's paternity?"

Fuck! Of course! Why didn't I think of that? I wouldn't put it past Kate to lie about being pregnant with my brother's child to weasel her way back into Ana's life.

"We're not one hundred percent certain. I'll have an investigator look into it. I don't want to upset Miss Kavanagh with a DNA test. My wife won't be happy with me. Thanks for looking into this for me though, Mr. Shapiro."

"No problem, Mr. Grey."

Before I have to go pick up Elliot from the airport, I have to call Welch to dig into this. I want to know if Kate is telling the truth.

"Yes, Mr. Grey?" he answers.

"Welch, I need you to do some digging into Kate Kavanagh for me."

"Am I looking for something specific, sir?"

"Yes, I want to know if she ever made contact with my brother. Go to Brown, see if any of the other students saw them together. It would've been at a frat party."

"Do you have a date?"

"Whenever the Brown/Yale football game was. And I need this information as soon as possible."

"I'll be right on it, Mr. Grey."

"Good. Update Taylor regularly."

"Yes, sir."

If Kate is lying about this whole pregnancy thing… I don't care what Ana says. I'm going to ruin that bitch's life for good.

* * *

"Hey, man," Elliot greets me, walking down the steps of the jet. "Why'd you make me come here? I mean, thanks for sending me the jet, but what's up?"

"It's complicated."

He scoffs, "Are you going to tell me?"

"Not right now, Elliot. Later."

"Jeez, I didn't realize you were so secretive… Well, on second thought, I guess you are. How's the wife?"

"She's good. I don't know if mom told you, but we're moving back to Seattle."

"Shit, bro! She's dropping out of Harvard too?"

"She's going to try to finish college through online classes. She's actually starting a fashion line. GEH is investing."

"You're sure you want to mix business with pleasure?"

"I'm hoping GEH will be a family business," I state, "Hopefully, one of my kids will want to take it over one day."

"Dude, is Ana pregnant?" he gasps.

Oh, if only he knew.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Perfect," I smile at Kate, "You look beautiful."

After doing Kate's makeup and picking an outfit for her, I think she's presentable enough to face Elliot. She's wearing a pair of Rag & Bone jeans, a white Loro Piana sweater, and Golden Goose sneakers.

"Ana, thank you so much for helping me after you know… I sent that tip in to the Seattle Nooz about you and Christian."

"Don't worry about that right now, okay?" I say, gently placing my hand over her stomach, "I just want you and your baby to be healthy and happy. Whatever decision you make. I might not support it, but I'll always support you."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Where are we going?" Elliot asks me as we walk to the car.

"Back to the office," I tell him.

"What am I supposed to do?"

"I have a meeting. It'll take half an hour at most. You can wait in my office. We'll go to lunch after."

"Who's this?" Elliot asks as Taylor opens the car door for us.

"This is Taylor. Taylor, you know Elliot."

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Grey," Taylor says to Elliot.

"You too, Taylor," Elliot smiles.

"Your driver?" Elliot whispers to me.

"No, security."

"Jeez, already that important Chrissy?" he laughs.

* * *

Taking Elliot to GEH was a huge mistake. He's currently hitting on all my female employees including Andrea! For goodness sake, she's the best assistant I've had. I don't want Elliot scaring her off.

"Elliot," I chastise him, "Stay away from my employees."

How is he going to step up and be a good father if he keeps on behaving this way?

"Jeez, bro. I'm just being friendly. Get that stick out of your ass."

I can only roll my eyes at his crude language before my cell rings. It's Welch. Hopefully, he has the information I need.

"What do you have for me, Welch?" I answer the phone.

"It looks like the story checks out. I talked to several people who know Miss Kavanagh. They said they saw her with a Yale student who fits all the physical features of your brother."

Fucking hell, could Kate be telling the truth? I mean, it could've been another blonde guy.

"Is that all you've found?"

"No, Mr. Grey. I also hacked into the GPS system on both of their phones. The two phones pinged the same location from 2 am to 9 am the following day."

And fuck! Kate's telling the truth.

"Thanks, Welch. Good work."

"Of course, Mr. Grey."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

 **Christian:** You and Kate can come to the restaurant right now. Elliot and I are already there.

 **Ana:** Ok, see you soon. Xx

"Kate, let's go," I encourage her.

"I'm dreading this, Ana," she whines, "I changed my mind. I'm not going."

"You're an adult now. You made an adult decision that ended up in an adult consequence. And now you have to deal with it. Kate, please. Get in the car."

She huffs but listens to me.

"Elliot's going to meet us there," I let her know.

"Does he know I'm going to be there?" she asks.

"Christian's going to tell him. We're going to let you two have some privacy, but I'll still be there if you need me." I put my hand on her shoulder to soothe her. "Don't worry. Everything's going to be fine."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

Elliot and I are seated at the restaurant with Taylor watching us from another table.

"I still can't believe you have security," Elliot comments.

"It's necessary."

"Isn't it kind of weird having a shadow?"

"Not really. Sometimes I don't even notice he's there," I answer.

"Does Ana have a guy on her too?"

"Of course. She actually has two of them as of today."

"Yikes! Protective much?"

"She's a much easier target then I am. I would make it three, but I happen to value my life," I laugh.

"I'd love to see you with a kid," he jokes.

That reminds me…

"Do you remember a Kate Kavanagh?" I ask him.

"Ummm," he pauses, "I think I hooked up with someone named Kate not too long ago. But I was drunk out of my mind. I'm not sure if that's her name. Why?"

"Look, she's one of Ana's friends."

"And?"

I see Ana and Kate in the corner of my eye walking into the restaurant accompanied by Sawyer and Ryan. They walk to our table, and Elliot's eyes bug out when he sees Kate.

"I think you two need to talk," I say, getting out of my seat.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian and I go sit at another table on the opposite side of the restaurant so we can spy on what's going on between Kate and Elliot without them knowing.

Elliot looks like his cat died, and Kate looks like a nervous wreck.

"I wonder what they're saying?" I whisper to Christian.

"I can have Welch or Barney hack into one of their phones so we can listen in."

"That better be a joke," I warn.

"It wasn't."

"Oh for goodness sake, Christian!"

"Fine, fine, fine," he relents.

"Let's just order some food. I'm starving."

* * *

 **Elliot's POV**

"Kate?" What the fuck is going on here? Why did Christian drag me all the way down here to talk to some random girl I fucked at a party?

"Hey, Elliot," she says nervously.

I take a seat at the table and she starts to fiddle with the silverware.

"Um, sorry. I don't mean to be rude, but what exactly did Christian drag me here for?"

"I um… I don't know how to say this," Kate mumbles.

God, that girl looks like a mess.

"... I'm pregnant."

Holy fucking hell. How even? Well, I know how. Did I forget the condom? Fuck! Fuck! Fuck! I think I did. Oh God, this is not happening to me right now. I'm only twenty-one years old. I have my whole life ahead of me.

"If you don't want it, I'm going to get an abortion."

What the hell did she just say? She wants to kill my child?! Abso-fucking-lutely not!

"I want it," I say immediately, not even having to think of the ramifications of my words. I just know I can't let her kill it, and I can't abandon it.

"Elliot, are you sure? Because I know I can't be a mom right now. I can't even take care of myself."

And here comes the fucking waterworks.

"Of course I want this child. It's mine."

"So you're going to take care of a child on your own? You're in college, Elliot. How are you going to manage?"

"I have my parents and Ana and Christian."

"Really think about it, Elliot. This is a baby and a huge responsibility. You can't just pawn it off to other people. And if you really do want to keep it… I don't… I don't know if I want to be a part of their life."

Is this bitch so cold that she doesn't even want to know her own son or daughter?

"I don't care if you're part of their life or not. I'm not going to keep him or her from you. But if you decide later in life that you suddenly want to know your child, we're going to have a problem."

"I never wanted children," she sobs.

"I never thought about it myself. But now that it's a reality, I won't abandon my child. I have to step up. Sex has consequences," I say, taking responsibility.

"And you're really sure this is what you want?"

"Yes, I'm sure."

"How are you going to take care of this baby Elliot? You'll be in New Haven. Your parents are in Seattle and Ana and Christian are in Boston. That's not exactly close."

"Then I'll transfer to a college in Seattle! Ana and Christian are moving back there anyways!"

"You'd give up Yale for some dumb mistake? I told you, I can take care of it."

"Don't you dare ever say that again. I want this child. Do you know what it felt like growing up? I never knew my biological parents, and although Grace and Carrick were the best parents I could ask for, I always felt rejected by my birth parents."

She sighs her tears turning into anger, "Fine! If you really want this baby that bad, I'll push it out for you. Then, they'll be your problem."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Ater Christian and I finish our meal, Kate and Elliot are still talking about God knows what. I really hope Elliot wants the baby.

"Should we go interrupt them?" I ask, anxiously. I really need to know what's going on. It looks like the conversation is getting pretty heated.

"Let them be. I'm sure they'll tell us when they're ready."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Look, Elliot's getting up," I tell Ana, pointing at him.

"I'm going to check on Kate," she says, scurrying to the other table.

Elliot looks flustered as he takes a seat.

"Bro, what the actual fuck!"

"Elliot, are you…"

"I mean, I can't believe I got that girl pregnant. She's a fucking mess!"

"Are you taking responsibility?"

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean? Of course, I'm going to take care of my child."

"Are you sure you're ready for that kind of responsibility?" I ask. I want to make sure Elliot is completely committed. Babies are a lot of work.

"Of course I am! But I'm not sure about her. You know she was talking about an abortion? That's my fucking kid!"

"She can still get one, Elliot."

"Well, she better fucking not! She told me she would have my fucking kid then be on her merry fucking way."

"Elliot, you need to calm down. How are you planning on raising a child in New Haven?"

"I'm not. I'm going to move back to Seattle with you and Ana."

"You're going to give up Yale and football?"

"Yep," he shrugs, "I'll transfer to UW and finish college there."

"Ana and I will help you in any way we can," I say, offering our support.

"I know, bro. And thank you."

"Are you planning on telling mom soon? I'm assuming you're going to move back in with them, right?"

"Fuck, C. I don't know how I'm going to tell them. Do you think they're going to be mad?"

"Mad, no. Disappointed at your lapse in judgment, maybe. But after the initial shock wears off, I think mom will be ecstatic to finally have a grandchild."

"I hope so, C. And I was thinking that maybe I could crash with you and Ana. I really don't want to move back in with our parents."

"Umm, Ell. I'm not so sure about that. Ana and I are thinking of a penthouse, and I don't think…"

"What? Don't want me to crash on your honeymoon phase?" he chuckles, "You freaks." I'm glad he can find some humor in this situation. But that's Elliot for you.

"How about I set you up with a house in Bellevue, close to mom. Or in Seattle, if you want to be closer to Ana and me."

"Shit, bro! You'd really do that for me?"

"Yeah. You and my niece or nephew."

"Thanks, bro."

"I'm not going to bankroll your life forever, though. After you graduate college, I expect you to get a job, Ell."

"Don't worry, C. I can always work for you, right?"

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Hey, Kate. How'd it go?" I ask cautiously.

She chokes back a sob, "He wants to keep it."

"Are… Are you going to…" I can't even finish the sentence.

"I'm going to let him have it. But I don't want anything to do with it."

"Kate, you don't mean that."

"I would be a terrible mom. I made a dumb mistake, and this pregnancy is a consequence. The least I can do it pop the kid out since Elliot wants it."

"Oh, Kate," I say going over to give her a big hug, "You're coming to Seattle with me and Christian. We'll take care of you, okay?"

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"I can't believe you guys are leaving me so soon," Jerry whines as the movers load the last of our things onto the truck.

"We'll visit," I assure him, "And the wedding's coming up soon, so I'm sure I'll be making many appearances to see your mom and Karen."

"Yeah, and I'll be back in Boston to check on GEH," Christian adds.

Jerry gives us both a big hug before going to school.

"I'm going to miss this house," I sigh.

"Me too," Christian smiles, looking fondly at me, "This is where I proposed to you." He embraces me, placing a kiss on my cheek.

I revel in the memory of his proposal. I feel like our lives are moving so fast right now. Moving back to Seattle, Kate's pregnancy, the wedding. I just want to savor every second I can with Christian.

"We'll make new memories," I state confidently, as we close the door to our house in Boston for the last time.

* * *

"Did Elliot tell your parents he was coming back to Seattle?" I ask Christian. We're currently lounging on our private jet with a bottle of champagne.

"Not yet," he replies, "I think he's going to surprise them."

"Kate just finished packing up her stuff in Providence. You sure you're okay with her moving in with us for the time being?"

"I don't exactly like it, but she's going to be family now, I guess."

"I'm hoping Kate changes her mind about wanting to be in the baby's life."

"I sure as hell hope she doesn't," he comments, putting his feet up and taking another sip of his champagne.

"Why not?" I raise my eyebrow.

"She's irresponsible and immature."

"So is Elliot."

"I'm still not over how she betrayed us."

"She's really sorry."

He pulls me in his embrace and I pout. "I'm sure she is, but that still doesn't change what she did."

"I know it doesn't," I say, resting my head against his chest.

"You forgive people too easily."

"How can I not? She's been my best friend for what feels like my whole life."

"If she does one more thing…"

"She's not going to," I insist. And I hope I'm right.

* * *

"Ready to see the apartment, baby?" Christian grins like a child.

We're in the familiar garage of Escala. Back to our high school days, which wasn't even that long ago.

"We're hiring a decorator this time," I state, "I am not decorating another house all by myself."

"Whatever you want, baby."

He leads me over to a bay of cars and gestures, "These are our parking spaces."

"Which ones?" I ask. There are dozens of cars parked around us.

"All of them," he says matter-of-factly.

I count the cars. All twelve of them. I see the familiar Range Rover, Bentley Bentayga, and my red Ferrari that's barely been driven. On top of that, there are five dark grey Audi Q7's, a brand new white Audi R8, a black Rolls-Royce Phantom, and two Lamborghini Aventadors, one in chrome silver and one in matte black.

"Christian…" I approach him.

"One of those Lambos is for you," he whispers.

I immediately run to the chrome silver one. It's already unlocked.

"You did not," I scream like a little girl, "This is so sick."

"Surprise," he smirks.

"I want this one," I say excitedly, "You can have the matte black one."

"I somehow knew you were going to pick this one."

"Oh my God! I have a fancy new car," I squeal, "Where are the keys?"

Christian pulls the keys out of his pocket and hands them to me. "All yours, baby. But please don't drive too fast."

"Okay, dad," I say dramatically. "What are the other cars for?" I ask, "Like why the hell did you buy five of the same car?"

"They're for the security team," he states, "I know you want your privacy, so you can have your own car, but Ryan and Sawyer will be tailing you in one of those at all times."

"Ugh, buzzkill."

"Taylor will be doing the same for me, too."

"Fine," I pout.

Sawyer's voice startles me. I forgot he was even here. I guess I've just gotten so used his constant presence. "Mr. Grey," he says, "Everything's ready upstairs."

"Thanks, Sawyer," Christian says, "Have Taylor come down here. Ana and I are going somewhere."

Sawyer nods and mumbles something incoherent into his phone.

"Where are we going?" I question, "I thought we were going to see the apartment."

"The apartment can wait," he smirks, "I have a surprise for you?"

"Better than my new car?"

"Yes. Now get in the passenger seat. I'm driving."

I furrow my brows, "Hey, hands off. This is my car."

"You're not going to know where to go," he counters.

I sigh, getting out of the driver's seat. "We'll take your new car, then."

Christian's matte black Lamborghini is parked right next to mine, so I get in the passenger seat of that car. He smirks before hopping in the driver's seat and revs the engine like a pro.

* * *

After a short ten minute drive, Christian pulls into another underground parking garage.

"Where are we?" I ask eagerly, wondering why he's brought me here.

"This is the new GEH building," he says leading me to the elevators.

"Okay, so how is this a surprise for me?" I giggle.

"We're getting there."

He presses the button for the nineteenth floor, and the elevator starts to make its ascent.

"The whole building is yours?"

"Yep. Well, except for this floor."

When the elevator doors opened, I'm stunned by the sight in front of me.

The space is sleek with crisp white walls and immaculate white marble floors. The elevators open up to the reception area, where there is a long desk with a backlit sign on the wall behind it. It reads 'Anastasia Grey Designs.'

"Christian…" I gasp.

"Do you like it?" he asks, resting his hands on my shoulder.

"I don't know what to say… It's stunning."

"I thought that if you were really going to start your own business, you needed to do it properly. You have my full support. And GEH's financial backing."

I think I might cry. I really have the world's best husband in the world.

"Do you want to see your office now?"

* * *

My office does not disappoint. It matches the whole floor's aesthetic, but has a much more personal, cozy feel. There are family photos adorning the bookcase behind my desk, and trimmings to add a bit of color to the space.

"When did you have all the time to do this?"

"You'd be surprised to know how much I get done while you're asleep in between our rounds of sex," he whispers, his hand moving down my back, dangerously close to my ass.

He places a gentle kiss on the nape of my neck, and I gasp for air.

Is it just me, or did it get really hot in here?

"Christian," I moan, as he slowly but deliberately sneaks his hand under my dress and up my thigh.

He pushes me against the desk and frantically unzips my dress. Throwing it somewhere across the room, he immediately sinks to his knees and pulls my panties down so they pool at my feet.

Without warning, his tongue latches onto my clit causing me to scream and beg.

"Oh, God. Christian."

He moans against my clit, sending vibrations throughout my whole body. He then inserts a finger into my wet heat, and I shudder.

"Please," I moan, not even knowing what I'm begging for.

He adds another finger, perfectly hitting my g-spot with each thrust.

"Cum baby," he grunts.

I feel my thighs start to shake, and my mind goes numb as I reach my peak.

Christian quickly flips me over so that my back is resting against the desk.

"You look so pretty all spread out like this for me," he smirks, sending a chill down my spine.

"Fuck me, please, baby," I beg.

He doesn't say a word. He just unzips his pants and thrusts himself fully into me. His hands and lips are everywhere… My neck, my nipples, and my clit. My screams and his moans are filling the room. I sure hope Taylor can't hear us.

The thought of being heard slips my mind when Christian's thrusts become more erratic and animalistic. I bite my lip to prevent myself from screaming even louder.

Fuck, this is so hot. I can't believe Christian is fucking me like a madman in my new office and on my desk, no less.

I feel my insides start to clench, and Christian whispers in my ear, "Cum for me again, baby."

When his fingers reach my clit again, I'm in heaven. He keeps rubbing my clit until I come down from my high. Christ, this man is still rock hard, so I know I'm in for more orgasms.

He abruptly removes his length from me and gets down on his knees once again. I'm already sensitive from my previous orgasm, so when he inserts his index finger into me, I squirm.

With his other hand, Christian firmly presses against my abdomen. "Stay still, baby," he murmurs.

I try my best, but when he inserts two more fingers without warning, my back arches up from the desk, and I let out a gut-wrenching scream.

He roughly fucks me with his fingers, curling them up to hit my g-spot everytime. I can feel the orgasm start to build, but it's different than before. There's a foreign feeling at the pit of my stomach. And when Christian starts to rub my clit in addition to finger-fucking me… Fuck, I think I have to pee.

I immediately try to pry Christian's hands off me.

"Chris… Christian. I… Stop…" But he doesn't listen. He continues his assault.

"Trust me, Ana," he whispers, "Just let it go."

And then I feel it. A stream of wetness releases from my insides.

I look up in horror at Christian, thinking I've just peed on him, but his stupid grin says otherwise. Holy shit, did I just squirt?!

Christian doesn't give me time to ask my question or recover from my intense orgasm as he plunges right back into me.

"You're so sexy, Anastasia," he grunts.

"Chris… Christian, did I j-just squirt?" I manage to mumble.

"Fuck, baby. Yes. It was so hot."

He lifts me up off the desk to wrap his arms around me and attaches his lips to my nipples. My whole body feels like it's on fire. And my pussy feels thoroughly fucked and sore.

"Can you give me one more, baby?" he gasps.

"I'm so sore," I groan.

He reaches down to where our bodies are connected and gently runs circles along my clit.

"Come on. One more, baby."

It feels good. So good. I know this next orgasm is going to take a toll on my body, but as Christian continues to rub my clit, I fall over the edge yet again into pure bliss.

A few moments later, Christian reaches his climax and fills me up with his cum.

I'm utterly spent and exhausted from the multiple orgasms. I can barely think straight. My brain barely registers that Christian is cleaning up his cum off me with his very expensive handkerchief.

When I try to stand up, my heel slips, but Christian catches me. I look down to see what I slipped on, and it's a puddle of my well… you know what it is. I blush in embarrassment and try to avoid Christian's gaze.

"That was so fucking sexy, baby," he whispers, "To know that I can make you feel that way."

I blush even more. "Christian, there's a huge mess on the floor," I exclaim.

"I'll clean it up," he smiles, "But we're so having a repeat of that when we get home."

Oh, how I love my deliciously kinky husband.

* * *

Christian wraps me up in a soft cashmere blanket and cuddles with me on the couch to rest for a bit. He's still wearing his suit, looking as professional as ever. His suit is a little wrinkled though, but on the other hand, I look a complete mess. I can only imagine what my makeup looks like right now, and my pristine up-do is definitely ruined.

Despite how I may look, I revel in the feel of Christian's strong arms wrapped around me and this cozy blanket.

"Who decorated this office?" I ask.

"A friend of my mom's," he replies.

"Well, whoever it is… She's hired for our penthouse. I absolutely love the design."

"I'll let her know. Do you want to see the rest of your office? We kind of got distracted there."

"Sure. But get my dress so I don't have to walk around naked."

"I prefer you like this."

"No more sex for you right now, mister," I giggle.

Christian gets up to hand me my dress when I notice a huge tear in the zipper. And I'm completely mortified.

"Christian Trevelyan Grey!" I scream, "Look what you did." I hold up my dress for him to see.

"I'll buy you another one," he brushes off.

"It's vintage Chanel! You can't just buy another one." Jeez, do I sound mentally insane? Maybe a little.

"I'll pay for someone to fix it," he tries to calm me down, "Don't worry."

I sigh knowing Christian will take care of this. It's such a stupid problem really… A torn dress. But now I have nothing to wear.

"What am I supposed to wear, now?"

He laughs. "Here, wear this," he says taking off his suit jacket and handing it to me.

"I am not walking around in that," I say definitely. I do not want people to know what we've been doing in here.

He reaches into his pocket for his cell phone.

"Taylor," he says in a no-nonsense tone, "I need you to pick up a new dress for, Anastasia. Thank you."

He promptly hangs up the call and glances at me. "There. Happy?"

"Extremely," I smile, "But I think in the future, I'm going to need to start taking an extra outfit everywhere I go with you. I never know when you're going to be in the mood to rip clothes off of me."

"I think that's a good idea, baby. But you might want to also keep an extra set of lingerie. You know how much I love to rip your panties off of you."

The air is thick, and the tension in the room is rising. I feel my insides clench in excitement, but I can't let this moment escalate. I need to give my lady parts time to relax unless I want to be walking with a limp all day tomorrow.

"Don't you want to show me the rest of the office?" I ask, changing the subject.

"Sure do. Come on."


	26. Seattle

**Chapter 23 - Seattle**

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"Hey, I just talked to the dean," Elliot's voice rings through my phone.

"And what did he say?" I already know what he said. I talked to him about Elliot finishing his degree at Yale via online classes. I didn't want Carrick to get upset at Elliot for dropping out like I did.

"He said I could take online classes for a year, and I'd still get my degree," Elliot says with excitement in his voice, "Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, that's great El. So when are you thinking of telling mom and dad?"

"I was thinking Sunday dinner. I'll need you and Ana to back me up."

"I think that's a good idea. Kate just got here yesterday. Do you want to invite her?"

"Hell, no dude. I don't think that's smart. Hell, she wants nothing to do with the child. I don't want her around our parents."

"She's staying with Ana and me. I want to get rid of her."

"Shit dude, sounds like a problem."

"It wouldn't be a fucking problem if you didn't knock her up!" I exclaim.

"What do you want me to do? Invite her to stay with me? Because that sure as hell doesn't sound like a good idea. And if you want her gone so bad, just kick her out."

"Ana's the one who invited her to stay with us. She'd have my balls if I kicked her out," I reason.

Elliot laughs, "Can't Kate stay with her parents? They live in Seattle, right?"

"Ana told me that Kate's parents cut her off after she got kicked out of Brown. Apparently, Kate's not talking to them and doesn't even want to tell them she's pregnant. If she did she'd just be more on the outs with her family," I reply.

"There's got to be something you can do, man. Like rent her an apartment or something. You're richer than shit, I'm sure you can afford it."

"It's not about the money, El. Ana wants to make sure Kate has a healthy and happy pregnancy for the sake of your child."

"Shit, if that's the case then I owe you guys one."

"Don't worry about it. I may not like it, but it's for you so…" I trail off.

"Just come out and say it C, you love me," he teases.

"Don't get too far ahead of yourself," I chuckle, "Just get your ass to Seattle. I'll see you tomorrow."

"See you soon, bro."

I end the call and sigh. This is going to be a long nine months.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

"Grace! It's so good to see you," I exclaim and give her a hug, "Christian wanted to be here, but he had to take care of something last minute at the new GEH building."

"Oh, don't you worry about him. I'm sure that boy will make an appearance eventually. I'm so glad you two are back for good."

"I am too," I gush. "Is Mia still at school?"

"She should be home soon. She just got her driver's license and Christian sent her his old Audi, so I'm assuming she's taking the scenic route home." So that's where Christian's old R8 went.

"I hope she'll be here soon. I brought something to show you guys." I pull out my sketchbook from my purse.

"Oh, dear," Grace squeals, "I've been waiting to see these."

* * *

Grace and I sit down over some tea and pastries while she looks over my designs.

"You did these all by yourself?" she asks.

"Mostly," I answer, "But I did have some help from Tamara Ralph. She's been such an inspiration to me lately."

"They're really all wonderful."

"Thank you. I'm planning on getting production started on some of the pieces next week. Which reminds me, you should come see my new office. It's absolutely stunning."

"Christian already showed me some pictures to make sure you would like it. But I'd love to see it in person."

"Sounds like a plan," I smile.

I hear the sound of heels clicking on the marble floors and a deafening scream.

"Ana! Ana! Ana!" Mia comes barreling towards me almost causing me to spill my cup of tea.

"Mia!"

"I can't believe you're really here! And back for good. We can go on weekly shopping trips now."

"Yes, weekly shopping trips are a must," I giggle.

"Yay!" Her eyes turn to my sketchbook in Grace's hands. "Oh my gosh! Are these yours?"

"Yeah, they are."

She takes the book out of her mother's hands and flips through it.

"I can so see this on a runway show. Paris, Milan, New York. Oh my God! Can I be a model?"

"I don't see why not," I smile. I'd love to have Mia involved in any way she wants. "If you want, you can come to my new office after school and help with the pre-production. I know you have such a keen eye for fashion."

"Yes, yes, yes! A thousand times yes!"

'Thank you,' Grace mouths to me.

* * *

"Can you stay for dinner?" Grace asks me when Mia goes upstairs to change out of her school uniform.

"Of course, Grace. Should I ask Christian to come over as well? He should be finishing up his work by now. And the poor man needs a break."

"Please, do. we all miss him dearly. Especially Carrick. Have you asked Christian if he's returned his call."

 _Shit!_ I know I forgot to do something. "Sorry, Grace. I completely forgot. I'll tell Christian to get his ass over here tonight. They need to work things out."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

 **Ana:** Come to your parent's house for dinner tonight.

 **Christian:** Is my dad going to be home?

 **Ana:** Yes, and you two need to talk.

I need an excuse.

 **Christian:** I have work.

 **Ana:** You can finish it tomorrow.

 **Christian:** Ana, please…

 **Ana:** You can't avoid your father forever.

 **Christian:** Try me.

 **Ana:** I wasn't asking.

 **Christian:** Neither was I.

 **Ana:** If you come, I'll let sir show me who's boss tonight.

 **Christian:** Fine. I'll be there by 6.

 **Ana:** Love you.

 **Christian:** Love you too.

Damn it, that girl always gets what she wants.

* * *

"Taylor!" I shout.

"Yes, Mr. Grey," he answers immediately, opening the door of my new office.

"We need to be at my parents' house soon. We'll leave in five minutes."

"I'll have the car ready, sir."

He closes the door, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I really don't want to talk to my father. I know I can't avoid him forever. I don't want to hear his apologies about how he treated me when I dropped out of Harvard or for how he offended my wife when we got married. All I want to hear him say is that he's proud of me. I'm the CEO of a multi-million, soon to be multi-billion dollar company, and he hasn't said once that he's proud of me. I married the love of my life, a beautiful, smart, intelligent woman, and all he had to say was that I should've gotten a prenup. He didn't tell me that he was happy for me. He didn't tell me that he was proud of me.

* * *

Taylor's driving me to my parents' house. I'm sitting in the back of the Audi going through work emails in comfortable silence. The ten missed calls from my father within the last few weeks do not go unnoticed.

"Um, Taylor…" I call, getting his attention.

"Yes, Mr. Grey?"

I take myself by surprise when I ask him a personal question. "Do you… Are you close to your father?"

It's funny. I spend all day with this man but barely know him. I'm sure Anastasia has taken the time to ask Sawyer and Ryan all sorts of questions about their personal lives. But me on the other hand… Well, let's just say this is the first time I've asked Taylor anything remotely personal.

He looks surprised by my question but doesn't flinch when he replies, "Yeah, I am. I'm close with both my parents actually. But it wasn't always that way."

"What do you mean?"

"My father was upset when I decided to enlist in the army instead of going to college. We didn't talk for about four years while I in and out of Afghanistan. But then he got really sick, sir. We realized we were both being stubborn and petty. It took us a while, but we eventually made up."

"And how is he doing now?"

"He's doing much better, Mr. Grey. We were lucky."

"Good, I'm glad." I pause for a minute before continuing, "Taylor… Do you think I'm making a mistake not talking to my father?"

"I'd say every relationship is different. But in my opinion, holding a grudge is never ideal, especially if that person is family… Was what he did unforgivable?"

I think about Carrick's two major missteps. While he may have said stupid, irrational, and hurtful things… He's still my father. It doesn't erase everything he's done for me my whole life. Saving me. Adopting me. Giving me food. A home. A brother. An annoying baby sister. A whole family.

"No," I admit.

"Then I think you know what you should do, Mr. Grey."

* * *

When I get to my parent's house, Ana greets me at the door with a kiss.

"Hi handsome," she smiles, "I missed you today."

"I missed you too, baby."

"You're mom's finishing up dinner…"

"Christian!" Mia screams from across the foyer.

"Go say hi to your sister first," Ana whispers.

I sigh, "Fine."

* * *

We're all gathered in the kitchen now. The smell of mom's delicious home cooked meal is filling the air. She's making my favorite mac & cheese. It's the same one Ana always makes for me when I'm stressed out after a day of work. She's the one who gave Ana the recipe.

"Christian," Mia babbles, "Ana said I could help at her workshop after school. Isn't that so cool? I can tell all my friends that I'm working on the next big fashion line. Oh my God, you have no idea how excited I am. I'm thinking classy but sassy. Like Chanel and Oscar de la Renta had a baby."

"That's great, Mia. We're all so lucky to be graced with your talent," I say dryly.

Mia rolls her eyes at me. It seems that all the women in my family like to do that to me.

"Christian," my mother gets my attention, "Your father is finishing up some work in his study. I know he'd like to speak with you."

Ana gives me a stare, telling me everything her words don't. She wants me to go talk to him. My mother wants me to go talk to him. Hell, even I want to go talk to him. However, I don't think Mia even knows what's going on.

"Go," Ana mouths to me.

Without saying a word, I get out of my seat and walk up the stairs. It's a familiar walk. I remember countless times having to walk up here as a teenager to be reprimanded by Carrick. I was so fucking out of control until I met Ana. If that were my son… Hell, I don't have a fucking clue how I would've handled it. I have to give Carrick some credit for that.

As always, I knock on the door. However, for the first time, when I come up here, I don't feel like a scared, fucked up little boy. I'm a man now. A successful one, a happy one. For the first time in my whole life, I'm not nervous to step into his office. He's the one who owes me an apology, not the other way around.

"Come in," I hear my father's booming voice through the thick wood of the door.

I open the door slowly and cautiously. My father looks taken aback when he sees me.

"Uh… Christian," he stutters, managing a smile, "I didn't expect you here."

"Didn't mom tell you I was coming?" I ask.

"No, she didn't."

I stand there awkwardly in the doorway.

"Please, Christian," he says eagerly, "Take a seat. I know we have a lot to talk about."

I tentatively walk across the room and sit in the plush leather chair directly across from his desk.

"Look, dad…"

"Christian, I'm…"

We both stutter at the same time.

"You first," I direct him.

"Okay," he begins, "I want to start off by telling you how sorry I am. About the college thing. And about the things I said about Ana. I truly didn't mean them. I'm so grateful for her. She brings out the best in you. And I don't know why I said it. I think I was just lashing out at you. I was so mad at you for dropping out of Harvard. And…"

"Dad, really, it's fine."

"No, no. Let me say my piece, son," he interjects, "Look, when Elliot chose Yale over Harvard I was crushed. I always wanted one of my kids to follow in my footsteps. But your brother wanted to blaze his own trail, I guess. And well, you weren't exactly a good kid. I mean, you were an outstanding student, but I just didn't think you could get your act together with all the drinking and the fighting. I never thought Harvard was an option for you. But then, when you met Ana, you became driven. You became a better person. You spent more time with your family. And you opened up to us a bit more. It was like you were finally coming out of your shell after all these years. Anyways, I remember you both talking about college. Harvard was Ana's goal, and it soon became yours. I just thought… Well, I just thought that my dream of having one of my kids attend college at my alma mater would become a reality. And I know I shouldn't have projected my hopes and dreams on you. That wasn't fair of me. You're allowed to make your own decisions. And your decision to drop out, it was one of the most ballsy, bold decisions you've ever made. And it damn sure paid off son."

Wow, I never thought I'd see the day that Carrick Grey got all soft on me.

"Thank you for saying that, dad. And I have to apologize too. For not taking your calls when I should have. We're not perfect. But we are family. And you always have Mia to carry on your torch."

He laughs, "I love Mia. But she's definitely not cut out for college. Let alone Harvard."

"You might have a point there…"

My father gives me a warm smile. "I want you to have something," he declares. He opens a drawer on the bottom right of his desk and pulls out an old velvet box. "This used to be your grandfather's. He gave it to me after I graduated from law school. And now I'm giving it to you."

I open the lid. At first glance, it's just an old watch. But I know better.

"That watch was made in the '40s. Rolex only made twelve of them, and your grandfather was lucky enough to be the recipient of one."

I look carefully at the extraordinary timepiece in front of me, amazed at how it's stood the test of time. Most people who look at this would just see an old watch. But after buying my fair share of overpriced watches, I know this one would top the list of the most expensive watches I own. I'd have to get my insurance guy to appraise it, but I'm thinking this could easily be world $1.5 million now. No doubt.

Shouldn't my dad be giving this gift to Elliot? As someone who's going to graduate college and achieve that major milestone in his life.

"Dad… this is… I mean, shouldn't you be giving this to Elliot?"

He scoffs, "He wouldn't appreciate it like you would, son. Elliot would much rather receive a shiny new Piaget on his graduation day than this old thing. And even so, I really wanted you to have this. I know I never say this to you, but I want you to know I'm proud of you. I've always been proud of you."

He's proud of me. He's proud of me. He's proud of me. Four words I've been waiting to here for… Forever. I can feel a tear threatening to pool out of my eye. Don't cry, Grey. Don't cry, Grey. Don't cry, Grey.

Before I start crying like an idiot, I get out of my seat and give my old man a hug. At first, my dad is stunned. I've never allowed anyone but Ana to touch me like this. I just couldn't bear it. But after years of Ana healing me, I finally think I'm ready to let my family in. To let my father in. My dad reciprocates the hug. It feels odd, but it doesn't burn. We may not have fully healed, but it's a step forward.

"Maybe one day you'll pass it down to your own son."

"I hope so, dad."

* * *

Throughout dinner, my dad asks me every question he can think of about the business. And I enjoy answering every single one of his questions. I tell him about the plans for the new Seattle office, and my plans for the future. I tell him about my plans to open offices in New York City and Los Angeles by the end of the year. And I even tell him about starting a philanthropic wing of GEH. A mission to feed the world's hungry. A mission to provide cutting edge technology to the third world. Hell, I haven't even told Ana some of this stuff yet. But when I look at her, she gives me a beaming smile of approval. She's happy that my father and I have finally made up. My mom looks happy too.

"Have you spoken to Elliot recently?" Grace asks when she brings dessert to the table, "He said he was coming to visit soon."

"Yeah, didn't his semester just start?" Carrick asks, "He surely can't have a break already."

"I think Elliot has some big news for you guys," I reveal.

"What kind of news?" Mia asks intrusively.

I'm ready to say something snarky back to my sister before Ana interrupts, "I think Elliot would be upset if he couldn't tell you all himself."

"Let's pray to God he doesn't drop out of college," Carrick jokes.

"He's not dad. Don't worry," I say.

"So you know why Elliot's coming back?" he asks.

"Yes, Ana and I both know. But he really wants to tell you guys himself. He's planning on telling you at Sunday dinner."

"Oh!" Grace squeals, "All my beautiful children will be back together again. This is great!"

Little does she know, a bombshell is about to be dropped on her.

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Taylor is currently driving Christian and me home. Taylor and Sawyer are going to pick up my car tomorrow morning.

Christian looks relaxed. Tired, but relaxed. And judging from the pleasant dinner we just had, he must have had a good conversation with his father.

"How did the talk with your father go?" I ask in a whisper.

"Better than I thought it would. He apologized. I apologized. We hugged it out."

Woah, back up. Christian Grey apologized? That's a development. I'm happy that he could find it in his heart to forgive his father. And a hug? Christian only ever allows me to touch him. That must have been hard for him to let someone else in. I wrap my arms around him, trying to support him in any way I can.

"I'm glad, Christian. Grace was beside herself."

"I know that now. I was being petty and stupid. I should've answered one of his many calls before. But everything's good now."

He rolls up his shirt sleeve and holds out his wrist so I can see. Gone is the shiny new watch I bought him, and in its place is an old one. Beautiful, but very old.

"My dad gave this to me," he recounts, "It was his father's. And now it's mine."

I wrap my arms around him. I know all Christian's ever wanted was to gain approval from his parents, his dad especially. And this watch symbolizes that.

"And you'll pass it down to our son someday?" I ask. With Kate expecting, I might have a little baby fever.

"Yes, I will."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"This is your new place," I say handing Elliot the keys. "A maid service will be here twice a week to pick up your shit, but please try to keep it clean."

Elliot's apartment is in downtown Seattle, a short drive from the GEH building. The apartment is totally child-friendly, and I made sure there was enough space for a playroom and a nursery.

"Shit bro, this is fucking nice. Does it come with a chef too?"

"No you fucking idiot. I don't even have a chef. What makes you think I'd get you one."

"You have Ana. She's so much fucking better than a personal chef. I'm going to starve."

I laugh, "You're a big boy. I'm sure you know how to order takeout. And also, watch your fucking mouth, bro. You don't want your child talking like that."

He scoffs, "I've got what… eight to nine months before you'll have to wash out my mouth with soap."

"I'll actually do it. Don't test me," I say with a serious tone in my voice.

"Whatever, C. But in all honesty, thank you. This place is great."

"Good... And you've got everything settled with your online classes?"

"Yep. I'll have to go to UW once a week to meet with an academic advisor to make sure all my work's done. But otherwise, I'll be a Yale graduate next year."

"That's great, El. And before I forget, dinner's at 6. Don't be late."

"You didn't tell them yet, did you?"

"Of course, I didn't," I reply, "But they do know that you have an announcement to make."

"Fuck, I'm nervous as hell, dude. How do you think dad is going to react?"

"I see two options. Either he goes nuclear or he gives you a look of disapproval that would be a thousand times worse."

"Wow, thanks for the reassurance, C."

"Hey, I'm just telling you the truth. But I'm sure he'll come to terms with it eventually. And I wouldn't be too worried about how mom is going to react."

"I'm not worried about mom. It's dad I'm worried about. Some people still need their trust fund."

"I'll tell you what. If he really cuts you off, which I doubt he is, I'll give you mine."

"Rich bastard."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Christian went to go show Elliot the apartment, Kate's still sleeping, and I'm making my famous apple pie for the family dinner tonight.

"Mrs. Grey," Sawyer says, seemingly appearing in front of me out of thin air. It frightens me how stealthy these guys are, "You have a visitor. She's not on the approved list, but she's very insistent. She says that you're not answering your cell."

Shit, I left my phone upstairs in the bedroom. Christian always gets on my case when I leave my phone everywhere. His mind goes in a million different directions when I don't answer the damn thing. Now that he has Sawyer and Reynolds watching me like a hawk, his stress levels have gone down considerably.

"Did she give a name, Sawyer?"

"Miss Tamara Ralph."

"Let her up."

"Right away, Mrs. Grey."

I put the pie crust back in the fridge to prepare for Tamara's arrival. I'm surprised that she's here, but nevertheless, I am so excited to see her.

She comes out of the elevator with a large Louis Vuitton trunk and a Ralph & Russo shopping bag.

I take off my apron and go to greet her. "What are you doing here?"

"Surprise!" she squeals, "And I come bearing gifts."

She hands me the large shopping bag and continues, "Those are just a few of our new pieces. I thought since you just opened your new office, that you deserved some chic business attire."

"Thank you so, much," I reply, placing the bag on the counter. "I'll have to try these on later. I'm making apple pie right now."

"It smells delicious in here. I didn't know you were a baker," she laughs.

"It's one of my hidden talents," I giggle, "I'm having dinner with Christian's family tonight, so I wanted to make my favorite apple pie. Christian's brother has some pretty big news to reveal to everybody."

She raises an eyebrow. "Do I want to know?"

"The short answer… No. But I definitely need to know something," I say looking at the large trunk, "What's in there?"

"This is your real surprise. I was in LA sourcing some fabric for your wedding gown, so I thought I'd make a quick stop to Seattle to show you."

* * *

I fix us up some tea and some pastries that were delivered this morning. I really need to hire a housekeeper and cook soon to take care of this kind of stuff for when we have guests over.

We take a seat in the spacious living room. Whoever the interior designer was, they really outdid themselves. Without being gaudy, the apartment is decorated to perfection. There's a stunning fireplace that brings the whole living room together. The bookshelves are filled with all of my favorite books: the classics, all first-edition of course, various fashion books ranging from Vogue to the history of Louis Vuitton, photo books of every place Christian and I have visited. And that's not to forget the elegant family photos and portraits thrown in there too.

Tamara opens the clasps of the trunk to reveal a beautiful sea of white lace and fabric embroidered with the finest gems.

"The lace was handmade in Paris by the finest artisans. They've been doing this kind of lace for over a hundred years."

She hands me a piece of the intricate lace. "I was thinking we could use this to outline the veil depending on the length."

"Nothing too long," I state, "But nothing too short either."

"Got it, boss," she laughs.

She then hands me a piece of crisp white silk. "This is mulberry silk," she explains, "I'm thinking we could use this for the inside lining of the dress. It's extremely soft, so you'll be comfortable."

I touch the fabric. She's right. It's really soft. I was looking in mulberry silk for some of my designs, but it's outrageously expensive, and definitely not cost effective for my brand. Although I'm planning on doing haute couture, it's not realistic for a fledgling company to pour all their starting capital on fabrics. It's really more about the look at first.

"This one is a definite yes," I state.

"Oh, perfect. I'm so glad you like it. It was a bitch trying to source. Anyway, this is the last one." She hands me a piece of chiffon with intricate embroidery work. "This is with no doubt the star of the show. I had my people working on it non-stop for weeks." The gems are sewn on in an elaborate floral pattern. It's a thing of beauty. "Those are real diamonds too, as per your request."

"Wow, Tamara. This is better than anything I could have imagined. You've really outdone yourself." I find myself tearing up. I know Christian and I are already married, but it feels like with the big wedding, our bond will be made official. Before, the wedding seemed so intangible, like it was so far away, despite only being five months away. Seeing the fabric for my dress has made it all feel real.

"Don't you get all sentimental now. You haven't even seen the dress yet."

I quickly wipe the tears out of my eyes. "I really can't wait to see what you'll come up with."

"It'll be a showstopper. I guarantee it. Now enough wedding details, how's Anastasia Grey Designs doing?"

"Christian and GEH are our only investors. I'm going to need to hire some people. A lot of people actually, but I haven't gotten the ball rolling on that yet."

"If you don't mind, I know tons of talented people in Los Angeles, who would gladly make the move to Seattle."

"Can you send me some of their résumés?"

"I'll have my assistant send them over. And by the way, you should get an assistant soon. Your life will be a whole lot easier."

"I know," I admit, "I need to get working on that. After I get all the creative people on board, that will be my priority. But as of now, I think I'm managing myself pretty well."

"Let me know how you're feeling in a few weeks when you finally get the company off the ground," she chuckles, "Now enough of the business talk, don't we have apple pies to make?"

* * *

Tamara surprisingly is a big help as my sous chef. We finish the first apple pie in record time and are now working on another pie. This one is experimental. We're trying out strawberry and rhubarb.

The ding of the elevator signals Christian's arrival. As always, Taylor is right beside him. Christian greets me with a kiss and gives Tamara a friendly hug.

While Tamara is busy rolling out the pie dough, I ask Christian, "How did Elliot like the place?"

"He liked it. He'd be crazy not to. That's a piece of prime real estate."

"Does he want to change the décor? I can have the decorator on standby."

"I don't think Elliot cares much about that. Save your army of interior designers for our next piece of real estate."

"Our next piece of real estate?" I smirk and raise my eyebrow at him.

"I was thinking of buying a place in New York and Los Angeles. My people are telling me I need to diversify my portfolio. But we can save that discussion for later. Where's Kate by the way?"

"Still sleeping," I shrug, looking at the clock on the oven. It's almost 12 pm. Someone needs to tell that girl to wake up.

Christian rolls his eyes. Before I can chastise him, Tamara calls, "Hey Ana! Get over here. I need your help. Sorry to steal your wife, Christian, but we're too busy trying to be Betty Crocker."

"Duty calls," I giggle.

"Wait, one last kiss," he begs.

"Okay," I smile and give him a peck on the lips. Then, it's back to pie duty.

* * *

We couldn't help it. Tamara and I are now digging into one of the many apple pies we made. The strawberry and rhubarb pie turned out to be a mess, so we made five more apple pies. It sounds like a lot, but with Christian and Elliot's combined appetite, I'm sure they'll be gone in a few days.

After eating our fair share of pie, Tamara leaves, having to catch her flight back to London. I then wrap up the pies to bring to Grace's house. By the time I'm done, it's almost 4 pm, and Kate still hasn't made an appearance. I'm sure she's fine, but I should definitely go check on her and bring her some food. She must be starving.

I quickly toss a kale salad together and add all of Kate's favorite toppings: tomatoes, avocadoes, cucumbers, red onions, and chicken.

When I go upstairs, I see Kate still lying in bed on her pajamas. She looks miserable scrolling through her phone.

"Hey, I brought you some food. How are you feeling?" I ask.

"I'm so exhausted, Ana," she replies, "I really don't want to get up right now."

"Don't worry about it. I brought you some food. You need to eat." I lay the tray down on the bed and take a seat next to her. She immediately picks up the salad.

"Are you going to be okay by yourself tonight?" I ask her, "Christian and I are going to dinner at his parent's house."

"I'll be fine."

"If you need anything, please call me okay?"

"I will, Ana. And thank you so much again for letting me crash here with you guys. I know I'm not Christian's favorite person at the moment."

"No need to thank me…"

She gives me a warm smile. "I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow. If you… Maybe you'd like to…"

She doesn't get to finish her sentence before I interrupt, "I'd love to come with you." I then broach a touchy subject, "I also should let you know that Elliot's back in town permanently now. I think he'd love to accompany you to the doctor's as well. I mean, if that's alright with you."

She sighs, appearing to think heavily about my question. She puts on a brave face and says, "Sure. I don't see why not."

"Maybe it will give you guys a chance to get to know each other better." I'm secretly hoping that Kate will come to her senses and want to be in the child's life.

"Ana, that sounds like a bad idea. It could get… messy."

"We're already in a huge mess." I sigh, "But if you really don't want Elliot there, just tell me."

She closes her eyes as if she's thinking really hard. "He can come, I just don't want to spend any more time with him than I have to."


	27. Update

Thank you to all my readers for taking the time to review and send me private messages about both of my fics. I haven't been active on this site for a while now, and it's been a year since I've updated. However, after some reflection, I've realized that I've been itching to get back to these stories. So, both Young in Love and Darker than Grey will be updated in the near future, and I will also be going back to edit past chapters. I hope you're all excited as I am!

Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy!

xoxo


	28. A Grey Family Revelation

**Chapter 24 - A Grey Family Revelation**

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

"You look absolutely ravishing tonight, baby," I say, complementing my hot wife. She's putting on a pair of diamond earrings at her vanity, and I sneak up behind her to cup her breasts and kiss her neck.

She squirms in her seat and smiles, "If you ruin my makeup, I'm not giving you any sex tonight."

"Come on," I pout.

"That's not going to work on me," she giggles, "This dinner is important for your brother. I need you to behave yourself."

"Fine, fine."

She stands up to spray some perfume. It's the smell I've come to associate with Ana. When she gets up, I can truly appreciate how sexy she looks, but apparently I need to be on my best behavior tonight. There's no way I'm jeopardizing not having sex. Knowing Ana, she's fucking serious about that shit.

She's wearing a gold silk Oscar de la Renta dress, surely a queen in anyone's eyes. Adorning her neck is one of the new diamond necklaces I bought her along with her new Harry Winston diamond drop earrings. And with her sky-high Louboutins, she looks completely fuckable. Although I do have to say, she went way too overboard with her outfit for a mere dinner at my parents' house. I'm sure my mother and sister will be dressed to the nines as well, though. They take every event, no matter how small, as an excuse to buy a new couture dress.

Anyways, my outfit is almost laughable next to hers. I'm wearing black jeans, a button-down, a leather jacket, and sneakers.

"I see you really dressed up," Ana snarks, laughing at my expense.

"You should see what Elliot's wearing before making fun of me," I rebuke. Knowing Elliot, he put on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. My outfit is infinitely better compared to his.

"Whatever, Grey. We should get going before we're late. You know how Grace gets."

* * *

 **Ana's POV**

Ever since high school, Sunday dinner at the Grey estate has become a sort of ritual. Grace Grey would never miss a chance to get her family together for a meal. And now that two of her children are all grown up (or so they think) she rarely gets the chance to have the family all together like this unless it's a holiday or someone's birthday. And I can't wait for Grace to know that there's going to be a new addition to the Grey family. But she'll no doubt be surprised that it's not an addition via Christian and me.

With the freshly baked apple pies in tow, Christian opens up the door of the Rolls-Royce he drove here. Taylor and Sawyer get out of the dark grey Audi behind us and watch us walk up the cobblestone driveway to the entrance. I'm not sure why Christian feels the need to bring security with us to his parents' house… In a gated community. He is _nuts_. Taylor and Sawyer are going to be so bored standing outside the Grey's home. Maybe I'll invite them in for dinner. They must get hungry too.

Mia greets Christian and me at the doorway, dressed to perfection. She's decked out head to toe in pink starting off with her pink Dolce and Gabbana brocade mini dress, matching heels, and pink jewelry.

"You do realize it's not Wednesday, right Mia?" Christian snarks at his sister.

She smiles sweetly at him. "I didn't realize you were a fan of Mean Girls."

I laugh. Guilty as charged. I'm the one who makes Christian watch those kinds of movies with me. And that's why he knows that reference.

"I'm not," Christian tries to deflect.

"Sure," she laughs, winking at me.

"Is Elliot here yet?" I ask, looking at the clock on the wall. Christian and I are already ten minutes late, and Grace hates when people aren't punctual.

"Not yet," Mia replies, "Mom is getting annoyed."

"Of course she is," Christian comments, "I'll text him."

* * *

 **Christian's POV**

 **Christian:** Where are you dickhead?

 **Elliot:** Chill, I'm leaving the house now, dude.

 **Christian:** 6 o'clock means 6 o'clock. NOT 6:30 asshole.

 **Elliot:** Cut me some slack. It's the jet lag.

 **Christian:** Jet lag my ass.

 **Elliot:** I'm getting in the car as we speak. I'll be there in ten.

 **Christian:** Have fun explaining why you're late to mom.

 **Elliot:** I will!

* * *

Elliot said he'd be here in ten minutes. And that was half an hour ago. Mom is fuming. We're all sitting at the dinner table staring at food because Grace refuses to start dinner without Elliot.

"Mom, can we eat? I think we're all hungry," Mia whines.

"We have to wait for your brother, Mia. Where is that boy?" she grumbles to no one in particular.

"I'm sure he'll be here soon," I smile. Fucking hell, Elliot!

And right on cue, my dearest older brother strolls into the dining room carrying a bouquet of roses, and he hands them to our mother. Kiss ass.

Her mood immediately shifts, and she gives Elliot a bright smile and a big hug.

"Sorry I'm late, guys," Elliot apologizes.

And just when I think mom is going to chew him out, she replies, "Don't worry about it, baby. We just all missed you so much! Have a seat, darling."

Grace quickly finds a vase for the flowers and sets them on the kitchen counter.

Elliot takes a seat right next to Mia while Grace and Carrick are sitting at the two ends of the table. Ana and I are sitting directly across from Elliot and Mia.

Mom really went all out with the food today. Hopefully, it's not cold because of Elliot's late ass. Sitting on the table are a variety of dishes: a crown roast of lamb, my favorite mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, roasted vegetables, and an arugula salad.

When Elliot gets in his seat, we all take that as a cue to dig into Mom's delicious food.

"So how was your spring semester, Elliot?" Carrick asks while forking a large serving of mashed potatoes and gravy on his plate.

Elliot clamors up at the question at first, but recovers. "It went well."

"And you're all set to graduate next year?" Carrick follows up.

"Yep," Elliot answers simply, not wanting to talk about the subject of college any longer. All it was reminding him of was the bomb he was about to drop on his parents – that he was finishing his degree online and that he accidentally knocked up some girl who happened to be best friends with Ana.

"Shouldn't you be grilling Mia about college, dad?" I ask. Elliot gives me a grateful look for shifting the topic of conversation. Mia, on the other hand, gives me a death glare.

"I'm not even in college!" Mia exclaims.

"But shouldn't you be thinking about applications now?" Elliot chimes in.

"Oh, for goodness sake, guys," Ana huffs, "Leave your poor sister alone. She still has plenty of time to think about where she wants to go to college. And that's only if she even wants to go in the first place."

"She's going to college," me, Elliot, and my dad all say in unison.

The girls at the table all just laugh at us.

"College isn't for everyone," Mia comments. She raises her eyebrow at me and continues, "And if I'm remembering correctly, a certain someone just dropped out of Harvard."

I'm about to start bickering with my little sister until Grace interrupts us.

"Kids, let's not fight about this," Grace says diplomatically, "Mia's got a mind of her own, and she's a big girl now. She can make her own decisions."

"Thank you, Mom!" Mia cries.

"She is going to help me create my first runway line this summer, so maybe she'll find her calling there," Ana smiles.

Mia sticks her tongue out and Elliot and me. How childish!

"Amelia Grey!" Grace chastises her, "That's not how we behave at the dinner table!"

Elliot and I just laugh at her and we continue on with our family dinner. It was like we were all kids again, living under our parents' roof. Oh, how the time has passed by.

* * *

By the end of our meal, we are all terribly stuffed, but then Grace brings out the homemade chocolate chip cookies and ice cream, and no one can resist.

I glance at Elliot wondering when he's going to tell our parents that he's going to have a child. I half expected him to just blurt it out in the middle of dinner, and I'm surprised he waited this long to tell them. I guess he figured dessert would make the news easier to swallow.

Ana, Mia, and my mother are busy chatting about fashion, as usual, and the rest of us guys are enjoying our second serving of ice cream and cookies, which the ladies insisted they couldn't have because they need to "keep their figures intact."

Ana's already thin enough as it is, another cookie wouldn't kill her. But I know better than to argue with her about her eating habits… I'll just have to fatten her up with more creative ideas. Whipped cream and sex perhaps?

Anyways, I keep glancing at Elliot, but he looks as calm as a cucumber. He doesn't look like he's about to fess up about the baby any time soon.

I give Ana a glance, and she immediately knows what I'm thinking.

"This might be looking too far into the future, but I was considering developing a children's clothing line."

"Oh!" Mia gasps, "That would be so adorable! Just imagine little mini Ana and Christian's running around!"

"Ana, dear, are you trying to tell us something?" Grace smartly asks.

Ana lets out a soft sigh and smiles, "No, I'm not pregnant yet."

"But soon?" Grace prompts quickly.

"Soon," Ana assures her while giving me a beaming smile.

Then, Ana and I both focus our attention on Elliot, hoping that he caught the hint that it's time to spill the beans to our family.

But because Elliot is well… Elliot, he is blissfully unaware of what is going on around him, and he continues to scarf down another chocolate chip cookie.

"I think Elliot has something he wants to say," I announce, wanting to get this whole ordeal over with sooner rather than later.

Elliot's head pops up with a look of shock on his face.

"Elliot…" I say, getting his attention again, "Don't you have some news for us?"

He gives me a scowl then nervously turns back his gaze to the center of the table.

"What is it, Elliot?" Grace asks curiously.

"It's uh…" Elliot stutters, "I'm pregnant. Well, I'm not pregnant. I mean, I got a girl pregnant because I can't obviously get pregnant for uh, obvious reasons. So, yeah…" He flashes a nervous grin to the whole family waiting for their reactions.

Carrick looks like he's about to lose it while Grace looks like a concerned mother.

"Who's the girl?" Carrick demands an answer.

"Uh, her name's Kate Kavanagh. You might know her dad… He uh… owns Kavanagh Media."

"You knocked up Eamon Kavanagh's daughter?" Carrick raises his voice.

"And she's decided to keep it?" Grace asks with the utmost concern.

"Yeah, that's what she's planning," Elliot answers.

"And what about college? What are you going to do about that?" Carrick further interrogates.

"I'm still graduating as planned. I'm finishing up my semester online, and I'll still graduate with a shiny Yale degree. Don't worry about that, dad."

Carrick seems to blow up even more. His face looks red and if this was a cartoon, there would be steam coming out of his ears. "What do you mean, don't worry. You come home from college and tell me you got some girl pregnant! Of course, I'm going to worry. Do you plan on being a part of this child's life? How do you expect to be a father when you don't have a steady income? Babies aren't cheap, you know. And you can't expect your mother and me to finance your whole life forever."

Everyone at the table is now shifting in their seats, uncomfortable at the scene that's unfolding in front of them.

"Christian's already set me up with an apartment, so I won't have to worry about that. And as for a job, I can always work…" Elliot tries to reason.

Carrick interrupts him, "Don't you dare say you can just work for Christian! I raised you better than this Elliot. You need to take responsibility for your own life."

"I am dad," Elliot continues to argue, "I'm already taking responsibility for this child. Kate doesn't want anything to do with it. After she gives birth to the kid, it'll be my responsibility, and mine alone."

"And you think you're ready for that?" Carrick replies, "The sleepless nights… The diapers…"

Grace decides that now is the time to intervene before this family dinner gets more out of hand than it already has.

"Carrick, please calm down," she says, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm not happy about this situation either, but at least he's taking responsibility. He's not running from his problems."

Elliot gives me a pleading look of help, so I decide to speak up as well.

"Dad, from what I've seen from Elliot, I think he's really matured ever since he found out about the baby. I know it's a big responsibility, but Ana and I will help as much as possible, and I'm sure Mia would love to play with a smushy baby."

I look to Mia for confirmation and she grins. "If it's a girl, I will be beyond excited. Think about all the cute baby clothes, oh my god!"

Her comment sure lightened the mood considerably, and now both Grace and Ana are smiling at the prospect of being able to buy all the baby clothes they want.

"Dad, come on," Elliot begs, "I know this isn't ideal. But I fucking made a mistake, and now I have to own up to it."

Carrick sighs, "I'm still not happy about this, Elliot. But what I can say is that I'm proud of you for not turning your back on your problems."

"So on that note," Mia chimes in, "When are you guys planning on having a baby." Mia glares and me and Ana.

Ana and I both look at each other and burst into laughter. Baby fever is coming in full force.

"We're waiting until after the wedding," I point out.

"Oh, please," Ana scoffs, "Don't act like you're the patient one. You would've knocked me up months ago if I would've let you."

"Oh!" Grace exclaims, "I'm going to be a grandma. This is so exciting. I mean, I was expecting my first grandchild to be from Ana and Christian, but this is still a blessing nonetheless. Isn't it Cary?"

"Yes, it is," he manages to stifle out.

"Thanks for your support guys," Elliot gushes, "I really needed it."

* * *

 **ANA**

Christian and I are back home now, so I finally get to take these heels that are killing my feet.

"I think that went well," Christian says, throwing his leather jacket across the room.

Ugh! If only he knew how to hang things back up properly. Which reminds me, we're in desperate need of a housekeeper.

I choose to ignore his offending action and reply, "Yeah, I think it did too. I mean, Carrick didn't seem to take it well at first, but I think he eventually warmed up to the idea of being a grandfather."

"Grace is probably over the moon," Christian smiles, "And I'm only a little jealous that Elliot beat us to the punch."

I raise an eyebrow at him, "You're not suggesting we have a baby right now, are you?"

Christian laughs, "Of course not, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have baby fever."

"Me too," I smile, "There's nothing more I want than to carry our child, but we're not ready now."

"I know," he states.

"Soon," I promise him.

"Soon," he echos.

* * *

 **A/N:** Normally, this fic has much longer chapters, but I've decided to make them shorter, so I'll be able to update more frequently. Hope you don't mind!

Until next time!

xoxo


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